Recovery
by Zaratan
Summary: Kim is finally awake, but the world has become a very different place in just a few short months. How will she deal with everything around her. Takes place after Redemption. Story 3!
1. Chapter 1

Disney refuses to sell to me, so they still own everything. It's here folks, the moment everyone has been waiting for eagerly! Kim is now awake! As well, since it took so long to get to this point, ideas constantly thrumming through my head, this will be by far my longest story yet! As well, to help new readers who are jumping onboard for the first time, as well as my regulars who might be a bit confused, I have placed a complete timeline below, detailing everything that has happened to date. Enjoy!

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Recovery – Chapter 1

It was many months since she had begun lying there. Winter had come and gone, and spring was just lighting upon the mountains. The nights were still quite cool though, and the cloudless night sky shined down on her bed. She had had many visitors in that time, as evidenced by the number of cards and gifts and the fresh flowers by her bed.

Her hair did not have the same luster or bounce it once had, but it still cascaded down past her shoulders, carefully laid so she still looked beautiful to the eye. Her wounds had long since healed, even the scars had started to fade quite well. The beeping of the machines had been constant in all that time, never changing never ceasing. A sudden beep disturbed the months long rhythm, and then another.

Green eyes opened under that night sky!

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Kim Possible slowly opened her eyes, noticing first off the clear, brilliant night outside, it's light brightening the room despite the fact it was nighttime. The beeping to her right was the next thing she noticed, and she slowly turned her head towards the noise. The array of machines surprised her, as did the cords and tubes running from them to her that, until then, she hadn't even noticed.

Surprised by the amount of equipment around her, she felt over her body to where they were connected, surprised at just how tired she felt from simply moving her arms. The tube up her nose troubled her, as did the one running from her… more private area. Almost panicked now, she checked herself for injuries, and noticed very little that would warrant that kind of response.

She looked around, but could not find an emergency button to call a nurse. She did notice the multitude of cards and flowers around the room, and again was surprised by the sheer number of them.

Deciding she needed some answers, she moved to sit up. Her body at first did not want to respond, but she forced it to move, and when she was finally sitting up she waited a moment, trying to catch her breath. The very act of just sitting up had exhausted her, and now she knew she needed some answers.

Looking at the equipment, she knew she'd never be able to take this all into the hall with her. The IV wouldn't be a problem, that was small enough, and she didn't really want to take a chance with the catheter. She knew enough from her mother not to mess with things like that if she didn't know what she was doing, and the bag she found tied to her leg shouldn't get in the way. That left the feeding tube that ran through her nose. Slowly, she disconnected it from the equipment, taking care not to pull too hard on it. Now that she was aware of it, it felt really uncomfortable, but like the catheter, she didn't want to just yank it out.

Pulling the final electrodes and monitors off her body, surprised someone hadn't come yet to check on the equipment yet, she swung her legs out over the edge of the bed, placing her feet gingerly on the floor. Testing her weight, she slowly stood, and quickly collapsed to the floor. Kim winced as the IV tugged sharply, and she forced herself to keep her arm up as the needle threatened to pull itself free from her arm.

Determined to not let it stop her, she stretched out her legs carefully as she lay on the floor, testing her muscles, now fully aware that her body was refusing to respond as it should, wondering just how long she had been out for. Carefully and slowly, she braced her legs under her and grabbed onto the side of the bed, pulling herself up as best she could. The first attempt seemed to take all her energy, and she fell back to the floor. Setting her teeth, she tried again, and managed to throw her upper body back onto the bed. Turning over, taking care with the IV, she sat up again on the side of the bed, and looked at her surroundings.

It didn't seem like a Japanese hospital, not with all the signs in English around her. It didn't mean anything though, Kim thought, she might be in a hospital for tourists and VIPs, or she might have been transported back to the States when she was good to travel. The second option seemed most likely, which meant she must have been out of it for a few days at least. That could explain why her muscles seemed unresponsive to her. It also explained the catheter and the feeding tube.

Spotting what appeared to be a wheeled office chair in the corner, Kim set her sights on getting to it. It was about ten feet away, and normally would not have been a problem, but Kim already felt as if she had run a marathon and then taken on Shego for a half hour. Grabbing the IV stand, she inched her way to the end of the bed until she was at the end closest to the chair. Lowering herself to the floor, not taking a chance that her legs would give out on her again, she made her way over to the chair, her arm with the IV stand holding and dragging it along with her. It took a couple minutes, and more energy than she thought she had, but eventually she made it, and took a moment to catch her breath. Taking care that the chair wouldn't move on her as she got in, she lifted herself into it, and breathed a sigh of relief when she finally positioned herself in it properly.

Finally mobile, she used her legs to slowly make her way into the hallway, intent on finding someone to answer the questions she had.

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Adam Walsh exited the elevator at a casual gait, whistling quietly to himself. He didn't care for the night shift that much, too quiet in his opinion, and being assigned to long-term care was even worse, as nothing ever really happened. In the last four months, there had been a total of two incidents that had required his attention. Of course, it gave him plenty of time to go for a smoke or grab something to drink without having to worry. He wondered briefly if his attitude was one of the reasons he had been assigned such a boring detail, but he shrugged it off. He didn't mind nights, and it even paid extra, which helped in paying off his student loans.

As he approached the nurse's station, his thoughts drifting back to the latest Stephen King novel he was reading, he paused at what sounded like wheels squealing slightly down the hallway. As he rounded the corner, his eyes went wide as he spotted the young red-haired woman slowly making her way down the hallway.

She spotted him quickly and smiled. "Umm… hi. Do you think you could help me out here? I kinda don't know where I am right now."

Adam promptly fainted.

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Wade grumbled as he heard the beeping of his systems going off, and wondered just what the problem was. Ron and Bonnie should have been well on their way home from their last mission already, and considering the time, should have realized he was trying to get some sleep. It hadn't even been a difficult mission, and almost hadn't bothered with it in the first place, thinking that the local authorities would be better able to handle it. But Bonnie had insisted, saying she needed to get some work in now that the cast was off, and the late hour wasn't too much of a concern, being it was a Friday.

Wade pulled himself out of bed, and sat down in front of his computers, staring at the screens in front of him. He was puzzled at first when he saw his screen devoted to the Kimmunicator system wasn't the one that was beeping, and began flipping through his systems to find where it was coming from. When he found the screen that was making so much noise, his eyes widened, and a broad smile spread across his face, all thoughts of sleep banished from his mind.

Kim was awake!

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Bonnie just laughed as Ron flexed his muscles in front of her, striking a number of poses, each one eliciting a new peal of giggles. When he finally sat down, a smile on his face, Bonnie began to settle down.

Wiping a tear from her eye, one hand holding her stomach, she just looked over at him. "I swear, you just had fun on this mission, didn't you?"

Ron sat back grinning. "Hey, this guy was as basic and as amateur as they come. But I guess Wade was right, there are people starting to step up to fill the gap left by Monkey Fist and Drakken. I just thought they'd be more, you know… more than that!"

"And it helped the all El Tigre Diablo wanted was a shot at the GWA. Of course, if he can't beat you, what chance would he have?"

Ron looked hurt for a moment, before a smile crept back onto his expression. "Hey, I'll have you know, I am the wrestling master!"

"You body slammed him through a table!"

Ron shrugged, his smile widening. "Hey, it always works on the pay-per-views! Besides, it felt good to get back into the ring."

The Kimmunicator beeped, and Ron scooped the device from his pocket, activating it. "What's the sitch Wade. Any problems with arresting El Tigre?"

Wade had a wide grin on his face, and appeared to be throwing a couple things into a bag. "Nope. Ron, I hope you're sitting for this. Kim's awake!"

Bonnie rushed over to Ron's side, grabbing the Kimmunicator in one hand, pulling it towards her. "Are you serious?"

The young man just nodded. "Yup! I'm just grabbing a few things, then I'm giving her parents a call, in case they haven't heard yet, and I'll meet you there. My mom is giving me a ride there once she gets dressed."

Bonnie just nodded her head emphatically. "Yeah… yeah, we'll see you there!"

She turned off the Kimmunicator, and turned back to Ron, more excited than she could have believed. "Ron, can you believe it?"

Ron sat there unmoving, not even blinking, his hand still shaped as if he had been holding the Kimmunicator. "It… it has to be a dream…"

Bonnie looked at him worriedly, placing one hand on his arm. "Ron?"

Ron shook his head slightly, his expression unchanging. "It has to be a dream…"

"Ron, it's not a dream, Kim's awake!"

Ron jumped quickly to his feet, and ran to the cockpit of the plane. Bonnie followed right behind, concerned for the way her friend was handling it. He was already speaking with the pilot when she got up there.

"… bring us over Middleton Hospital?"

The air force lieutenant nodded. "We'll be over there in three minutes at top speed. Get ready to jump!"

Ron headed back to the cargo area of the plane, his expression unchanging, as he grabbed his parachute. Bonnie followed suit, keeping her eyes on him the entire time. "Ron? Are you okay? Aren't you happy?"

Ron's hand went to his temple, rubbing it as if fighting off a headache. "Not going to believe it, not till I see her."

Bonnie placed a hand on his shoulder, but he still couldn't look at her. "Ron, she's awake. Wade wouldn't lie about something like that!"

Ron just stood by the door, not saying anything. Bonnie let him think to himself a minute, until the co-pilot stuck his head out the cockpit door. "Jump in ten seconds! Good luck!"

Ron slid the door open, allowing the wind to buffet him, yet he never yielded at the doorway of the plane like he usually did. Bonnie counted the seconds off in her head, and she had hit nine when Ron jumped out. Bonnie dove after him, and she could make out the hospital on the ground below. She waited for Ron to open his chute, as the ground slowly came up to meet them, but he didn't pull when he usually would. Instead, he straightened out, picking up even more speed as he aimed himself toward the building. Bonnie began to grow worried, but knew that he knew what he was doing. She pulled her own chute, and watched, as Ron pulled his no more than a couple hundred feet above the hospital. Before she could even get close, he had yanked the straps off his chute, dropping the last ten feet to the roof and landed on his feet. Before his chute had even made contact with the roof, he was at the door and heading in.

Bonnie landed on the roof, and struggled out of the straps, as she knew she had to catch up with him. She didn't know what was going through his mind at the moment, but she had to be there. Finally free of the pack, she rushed through the door, taking the steps two at a time, jumping off near the bottom of the stairs to save time. She could hear Ron below her on the stairs, making his way as rapidly down as he could. Kim was on the fourth floor, and Bonnie put everything she had into getting there as quickly as possible.

She almost passed right by the fourth floor entrance in her rush to get there, and braked quickly, wheeling on the door. Throwing it open, she took a moment to orient herself, and headed to the right, where Kim's room lay. When she rounded the corner, she found Ron standing in the doorway to Kim's room, completely motionless. Worried that it might actually have been a ploy to get at Ron, the way he was just standing there, she rushed over to him, and looked feverishly into the room.

Kim sat there on the bed with a half grin on her face, until she saw Bonnie. "Hey Bonnie. What are you doing here? And what's up with Ron here?"

Bonnie sighed with relief, and finally allowed herself to get her breath back. She looked over to Ron, and while he was as motionless as before, she could see the tears streaming down his cheeks, the faintest glimmer of a smile on his face. Bonnie gave him a small push from behind, and his feet continued to carry him towards her. When he reached the bed, he almost collapsed on top of her, and his sobs became audible.

"Oh God… Kim… I…"

Kim, almost in shock, wrapped her arms around him, and held him as he cried into her shoulder. "It's all right Ron. I'm okay… I'm okay…"

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Author's Notes – I've woven quite a story tapestry here, with one-shots and minis complimenting the primary storyline. So, to save the minds of many people, here is a complete timeline of my little universe. Everything in brackets indicates where in the story it came from.

September 23rd, 2003 – Episode "The Ron Factor". Global Justice takes opportunity to test Ron for enlistment, as well as run psyche profile tests on Kim. Results are unsatisfactory. (Answers, chapter 3)

October 6th, 2003 – Episode "Job Unfair". Agent Joe Jones of Canadian Intelligence, with the assistance of GJ agent Steve Barkin, is brought into the school to enlist Kim's help in a Drakken situation. Meanwhile, GJ finds a chance to test the limitations and degrees of Bonnie's abilities, when she requests Dr. Possible as her mentor. (Answers, Chapters 1-2)

November 10th, 2003 – Episode "Exchange". At the request of Sensei, GJ assists in an exchange program, so that Sensei could meet and train Ron for his future, while also sending Hirotaka to the States to get close to Bonnie. (Answers, Chapters 3-5)

June 3rd, 2005 – Movie "So The Drama". Junior Prom. After Ron professes his feelings when her date melts, Kim realizes just how much Ron means to her. Going back to the dance, they share their first kiss, and officially become a couple. They arrive home late. (The Twists and Turns of Love, Chapter 1)

June 4th, 2005 – James Possible has a… talk with Ron. After a brief time, he realizes he might have gone too far in his talk, and apologizes. Kim and Ron then went on their first date, where they said I love you to each other for the first time under the stars… and rain. (The Twists and Turns of Love, Chapter 2-4)

June 5th, 2005 – Motor Ed attempts to steal a new engine design from the space center. Kim gets a bit hurt, and Ron kicks butt… seriously! (The Twists and Turns of Love, Chapter 5-6)

June 10th, 2005 – Kim and Ron's second "big" date. Ron prepares dinner, and gets some second base action before his parents interrupt them coming home. (The Twists and Turns of Love, Chapter 10)

June 11th, 2005 – Kim and Ron set up Felix and Monique together, and they all go to a restaurant. Kim and Ron have their first fight beforehand though, when Ron finds out he's been chipped, and Kim never told him. Dinner proceeds, but is interrupted by DNAmy, who attacks them while they are eating. Kim makes up with Ron. (The Twists and Turns of Love, Chapters 11-12)

July 15th, 2005 – Ron and Kim fail to hear the Kimmunicator, so Rufus takes on Frugal Lugre himself. (Rufus Goes Solo)

July 31st, 2005 – Kim has a surprise birthday party. (The Twists and Turns of Love, Chapter 14)

August 12th, 2005 – Drakken and Shego escape custody for the first time since the Diablo incident. Kim and Ron track, but the evil pair get away. (The Twists and Turns of Love, Chapter 15)

August 27th, 2005 – Kim cooks for Ron on his birthday. Nuff said! (The Twists and Turns of Love, Chapter 16)

September 8th, 2005 – After a fight the previous day, Kim and Ron go off to face SSS and SSJ when they try to perform some take over scheme. They are soundly defeated, and Ron and Kim work out their issues. (The Twists and Turns of Love, Chapter 18)

October 13th, 2005 – Drakken and Shego steal the Pan-Dimensional Vortex Inducer. Ron and Kim stop their plan and recover the device, but the two escape again. (The Twists and Turns of Love, Chapter 19)

October 14th, 2005 – Bonnie receives a frightening vision, and is forced to confess to Kim and Ron about her abilities. She accompanies them to Japan, where she finds that Sensei and Hirotaka are also well aware of her abilities. (Bonnie's Curse, Chapter 1-5)

October 15th, 2005 – After a brief sleep, Monkey Fist attacks early, having heard for himself about Bonnie's gifts. A fight breaks out, and many students are hurt and killed. Kim in particular is hurt badly, and falls into a coma. Monkey Fist escapes. (Bonnie's Curse, Chapters 6-9)

October 20th, 2005 – Monkey Fist captures Bonnie, and uses a plant to amplify her visions, trying to get the information he needs from her. Tara tells Ron, who pursues the one who hurt Kim. Ron soundly beats the crap out of Monkey Fist. (Bonnie's Curse, Chapter 10-12)

October 21st, 2005 – With Bonnie's mind messed up with the drug given her, Sensei reveals that, thanks to the MMP and a special crystal, Ron can enter the mind of Bonnie and save her. He dives in, and after some surprises, is able to pull her out. (Bonnie's Curse, Chapters 13-16)

October 22nd, 2005 – Bonnie gets back with Brick, for good this time. (Redemption, Chapter 1)

October 24th, 2005 – After some help from Shego, Ron decides to return to the world saving.

November 9th, 2005 – When Ron gets soundly beaten and hurt by Duff Killigan, Bonnie resolves to help him out. Together, the two of him defeat the mad golfer. (New Beginnings)

January 31st, 2006 – Ron and Bonnie stop Drakken and Shego. Monkey Fist meanwhile steals an Amulet from a museum in England. (Redemption, Chapter 1)

February 3rd, 2006 – Monkey Fist recovers a gem from the jungles of Thailand. (Redemption, Chapter 3)

February 6th, 2006 – Ron and Bonnie confront Monkey Fist in China. He escapes after stealing an amulet, but leaves his monkey ninjas. (Redemption, Chapter 4)

February 10th, 2006 – After getting what he needed from them, Monkey Fist stabs Shego and severely tortures Drakken. (Redemption, Chapter 5)

February 11th, 2006 – Confronting Monkey Fist and Fukashima at the Middleton museum, Shego jumps in to help. Monkey Fist gets away with the amulet after telling them of the bombs he placed in several crowded buildings. (Redemption, Chapter 6)

February 12th, 2006 – Wade and Drakken develop a way to track Monkey Fist. On the way home, Wade tells them MF is in Go City. They confront him, along with the members of Team Go. The Wegos, Wendell and Will Go, are killed in the confrontation, and Hego, Henry Go, suffers a mental breakdown. (Redemption, Chapters 8-9)

February 15th, 2006 – Tara saves Ron's parents from Gill. (Tara Strikes Back) Funeral for Will and Wendell Go. (Redemption, Chapter 10)

February 16th, 2006 – Monkey Fist attacks Yamanouchi. Sensei killed, and MF takes his blood. (Redemption, Chapter 11)

February 17th, 2006 – Sensei's funeral. Ron, Bonnie, Yori, Hirotaka, Shego, and Mego all confront Monkey Fist on the slopes on Mount Kilamanjaro. Monkey Fist gains the power he wanted. He kills Fukashima and leaves them buried under rubble. When they get free, they find Wade and Drakken have found a way to stop him. (Redemption, Chapter 12-14)

February 18th, 2006 – Fully expecting to die, Ron, and the others, confront Monkey Fist at Stonehenge, but not before Monkey Fist lays waste to great areas of Europe. When all seems lost, Rufus saves them, sacrificing himself to stop MF. Shego then quietly finishes off Monkey Fist. (Redemption, Chapters 16-19) After ensuring his friends are taken care of, Ron then goes out to help with the rescue effort. (Consequences)

February 25th, 2006 – Rufus' funeral. (Recovery, Chapter 2)

March 1st-March 4th, 2006 – Shego and Drakken, with the help of their GJ handler Agent Steve Barkin, settle into new lives for themselves as mercenaries for hire. After one particularly intense case, Shego and Steve begin what would become a tumultuous relationship. Motor Ed eventually joins their team as well. (Life Changes)

March 4th, 2006 – Aviarius attacks Hego in his hospital room, and Mego confronts the villain. Mego, intent on killing, forces Hego to intervene and save his brother from doing what he would regret. This forces Hego from his delusions as well. (Moving On)

April 14th-April 18th, 2006 – Bonnie is recruited by GJ to handle a serial killer case, only to find the killer is a psi active like she is. After the killer threatens her friends, she faces off with her, discovering the woman a victim of Monkey Fist's rampage of Europe, before finally defeating her. (The Things Men Do)

April 28th, 2006 – Kim wakes up. (Recovery, Chapter 1)


	2. Chapter 2

Disney refuses to sell to me, so they still own everything. Sorry for the delay folks, but I am not going to pass up an opportunity to go to Ottawa. Granted, driving 6 hours definitely isn't fun (and how I wish I had a laptop), but the rest was good. Now I am back, and should have a few offerings out before the Christmas shutdown. Even thinking of a Shego prequel I might start shortly as well, once I get a few chapters done here.

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Recovery – Chapter 2

As she held Ron, watching Bonnie almost in tears, Kim began to worry just what exactly had happened to her. She had never seen Ron like this before. She continued soothing him as his tears poured out on her shoulder, his grip almost painful as he held her. She looked over at Bonnie again, and noticed she was wearing what seemed almost a variation of her mission clothes, though the coloration was definitely unique, and some of the details didn't match.

Waving her over with one hand, she could see Bonnie smiling. "Um… I take it I got hurt, but the nurse there wouldn't tell me what happened, just said he was going to get the doctor. Was I out for a week or something? And why would they put me on muscle relaxants?"

Bonnie's eyes went wide, as she stared at Kim almost uncomprehendingly. Ron had pulled back a bit as well, and his red, swollen eyes looked into hers. "No one… no one told you yet?"

"Told me what?"

Ron grabbed her hand, squeezing it gently. "Kim, promise you won't freak out?" Ron waited for her to nod before continuing. "Kim… you've been in a coma… for over six months."

"SIX MONTHS!"

Kim bolted upright, or as much as she could, but getting out into the hallway had taken most of her energy, and she slumped back down a moment later. Her eyes were wide with shock, and she kept looking back and forth between Ron and Bonnie. "Six months? But… how?"

"Well…"

"Kimmie-cub?"

Kim looked to the door, and saw her parents there, looking shocked as well. _Definitely the night for it I suppose!_ "Mom! Dad!"

"Oh, Kimmie!" Andrea Possible ran to her daughter's side, and Ron moved out of the way, reluctantly letting go of Kim's hand, as the older woman wrapped her daughter in a hug. Kim's father stood in the doorway, tears in his eyes. Her brothers stood on either side of him, rubbing their eyes in what was either a look of disbelief, or an act of rubbing sleep out of their eyes. Considering the time, Kim thought it could be either.

Kim smiled when her mother pulled away from her, looking her in the face. She could tell her mother had gone into doctor mode by the change in expression, and didn't react when her mother checked her eyes over. "I'm fine Mom, really!"

"Well, you'll forgive me if I decide to run some tests to make sure. Dear, kids, you have ten minutes with Kim before you all have to leave!"

Ron jaw dropped almost to the floor when he heard that. "But… Dr. P… Kim just woke up and…"

Andrea turned back to the group behind her, her expression stern. "No arguments on this. I have to run some tests, and I don't need everyone looking over my shoulder and getting in the way while I do that. Kim is probably tired right now, and she'll need her rest when I'm done. She'll be here in the morning, and you can spend time with her then."

James Possible stepped into the room as well now. "But Hon…"

"James, I said no arguments! Now, since I'll get to spend time with Kim while we do the tests, I'll go take care of things now, and be back shortly." She gave Kim a brief smile, and quickly left the room.

It was James who moved to her bedside next, wrapping his daughter into a hug. "Oh Kimmie-cub… I'm so glad that you're all right."

Kim returned the hug as best she could, and smiled as she saw Wade and his mother standing in the door way now. She marveled at how Wade seemed to have grown since she had last seen him, and her mind returned to the fact that she had been in a coma for six months. Looking at everyone carefully, she could see the differences in everyone around her. Besides Wade, the Tweebs had seemed to have grown as well. Even Ron looked taller, and Bonnie… she looked so different. She couldn't remember ever having seen such a genuine smile on her face before. The clothes left a lot of questions as well. "So… six months, huh? What have I missed?"

She had tried to keep her tone light, but she could see the smile fade from Ron and Bonnie's faces, and began to worry just a little bit. It was her father who spoke up first. "Quite a bit has happened, but I think we should save that for tomorrow. It might be best."

Wade snapped his fingers, and turned to Ron and Bonnie. "That reminds me. A message came in from Dr. Steeles' lab. Apparently there was a break-in, and he asked if you could investigate. I was going to wait until tomorrow till I brought it up, considering you just got back."

Ron looked shocked, and almost angry, as he turned to Wade. "I can't go on a mission right now, Kim just woke up?"

Bonnie placed a hand on Ron's arm. "Ron, don't worry about it. I'll head there myself in the morning, see if I can find out who's behind it. You stay here with Kim. All right?"

Ron shook his head. "I don't know if handling it yourself is such a good idea. We don't know what some of these new nut jobs are capable of."

"I can handle myself you know! Besides, if it looks like it might be too much, I'll get Tara to back me up! She's been aching to get some more time in the field."

Kim could hardly believe her ears, as she stared at the three of them talking. "Bonnie? And Tara's doing missions?"

Ron looked over at Kim sheepishly. "Uh… yeah… about that… Bonnie has been backing me up on missions, and Tara has just started helping out recently."

Kim brought a hand up to her forehead, rubbing her temples as she tried to process this new information. "Okay… I think I'm starting to experience a bit of information overload. Next you'll be telling me Shego has gone good now!"

Ron chuckled lightly. "Yeah, about that…"

"Visiting time is over." Andrea stood in the doorway, a wheelchair in front of her. "You can all come back tomorrow, when Kim has been checked and had some rest."

There was a multitude of grumbling about that, but Andrea firmly pushed them all out the door.

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The next hour was spent pretty quietly, as Andrea, with a different nurse than the one she had met in the hallway, ran Kim through a series of tests, allowing Kim to process what she had already heard. It seemed almost unbelievable, like something out of a TV show. And yet there were still so many things she needed to know.

"Kimmie, what's the last thing you remember?"

Kim snapped out of her thoughts, turning her attention back to her mother. "Oh… uh… well, Ron, Bonnie, and I were in Japan. I remember Monkey Fist attacked, and I was fighting off some of his ninja monkeys while Ron was taking on Monkey Fist. I heard Ron yell, and then…" Kim paused, remembering with clarity the pain she had felt before she blacked out, and instinctively rubbed her arm, the snap of the bone breaking the last thing she could recall clearly. "Then I'm waking up in the hospital here."

Kim felt so tired at this point, and knew she wanted nothing more than to sleep, but the questions in her mind kept nagging at her. She watched for a moment as her mother worked beside her, waiting until she had finished writing before she started asking questions. "So… it's not muscle relaxants then, huh?" She had tried to keep her tone light, but her concern filtered through.

Andrea paused for a moment, looking her daughter in the eye. "I'm afraid not honey. Your muscles have… atrophied. Lying in a coma for so long, it is natural for it to happen. We did everything we could to offset it, but there was no way you were going to be able to just wake up and go right back to everything as if nothing happened. To be honest, I'm a bit surprised you even were able to get back into the bed, or into the chair. I guess all those extra sessions I booked for you paid off." Andrea was smiling lightly, but Kim could see it was tinged with sadness.

"So… how long… I mean, do you think it might be a while before I can get back to cheerleading and missions and stuff?"

Andrea's face fell a bit. "It… could be a while. It might be months."

"Months?"

Andrea turned away slightly. "I'm afraid so. The muscles aren't used to working right now, and they'll have to be retrained to do everything that they used to do. It might even be a… a couple weeks before you can walk again."

Kim slumped back, her eyes wide. "A couple weeks? But that… isn't there anyway to speed it up?"

"Only by working really hard at it. It will still take time, but it might speed it up. It's going to be painful though at times. And you'll have to stay here until you are back on your feet."

Realization set in quickly as she realized just how long she had been out of it. "What about school? Oh God, I've missed almost a whole year's worth of classes. What about graduation, and college, and…"

Andrea placed a hand on Kim's shoulder, keeping her from moving and tiring herself. "We'll worry about that later. For now, let's focus on getting you back on your feet here, all right?"

Her mind now awash with a thousand concerns suddenly realized she had just one more question, something that had nagged at her from the moment she had seen Ron. Considering the number of people had been to visit her within minutes of waking up, she hadn't considered it much. Now that her mind was processing everything, she realized who had been missing.

"Mom, where was Rufus?"

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The sun shining overhead failed to match the feelings of those sitting there. He didn't even know how he had tears left in him, after all the funerals he had been to in the last couple of weeks. Will and Wendell, Sensei, the ceremony in London, all had been rough. But this, this was the hardest one of all. It felt wrong to even think that, but it was true. The others, they had been almost dispassionate, or people he had only known a short while. This was someone close to him, important to him.

This was Rufus!

He hadn't wanted to make a big deal out of the ceremony, but that had quickly gone out the window. Foreign dignitaries had wanted to pay their respects to the little naked mole rat that had just saved so many lives. He was surprised at the sheer number of them. He had initially refused, wanting to keep this between just them, his family and friends, but when the French President himself came to Ron's door, asking to attend, he couldn't turn him away.

He smiled when he saw the cops dragging away yet another reporter who had scrambled over the wall, glad that all the extra security could at least keep things more personal. He had been sickened when they had started offering him money to attend, and resisted the urge to beat the snot out of all of them right there and then. It was only thanks to his father, handling all the arrangements that had made dealing with everything bearable.

Ron had made sure to keep his family and friends beside him as Rabbi Katz continued the ceremony. His parents sat on either side, looking over at him occasionally. Bonnie and Tara, sitting right behind him, often gave his shoulder a quick squeeze. He marveled at the large statue, hastily built for this event, but extremely well done, and he allowed his gaze to drift over the crowd. Besides those closest to him, it seemed like half the school had come to attend the ceremony. Even those he had never really talked with before had shown up. No less than a dozen world leaders had come in person to pay their respects as well, and Ron thought his little buddy would have liked to see just how loved he really was. He saw Ned, tears in his eyes, towards the back, and he knew he'd have to thank him for helping with the final gesture.

Rabbi Katz nodded to him as he finished speaking, and Ron rose slowly to his feet. He clutched the bag in his hand almost gingerly as he made the couple of steps towards his buddies final resting place. Leaning down on one knee, he looked down towards the hole in the ground, barely able to see the elaborate coffin that had been designed just for him through the tears in his eyes.

"One for the road little buddy! Extra cheese, just the way you like it!"

He allowed his fingers to loosen their grip, and he watched as the bag landed down beside the little box. He stayed there like that as others came by, dropping their own Beuno Nacho bags down beside Rufus, until the bags began to obscure the coffin down below.

Time had no meaning, as Ron remained watching, even past the point where almost no one remained with him beyond those closest to him.

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Kim held Ron's hand as he knelt down beside her, the cool breeze blowing her hair about her face, a few tears leaking down her cheeks as she gazed at the monument erected for her smallest friend. "Oh Ron… I'm so sorry I wasn't here for you during that!"

Ron looked up at her, wiping his eyes with the back of his free hand. "You were KP, more than you know. After it was over, I came to you and just sat with you and talked. I'm just glad you're awake, and here with me now. How did you convince your mom to let you get out of the hospital?"

Kim smiled lightly. "I didn't give her much choice, and, truthfully, I don't think she put up much of a fight. Provided you got me back within an hour that is. Otherwise, she'll start hunting you down, and I don't think you want that. After all, running off with her daughter... she might be tempted to put you in a deep space probe herself!"

Ron chuckled lightly. "You know, I thought it was supposed to be me doing the jokes, making you feel better?"

Kim squeezed his hand, smiling at him. "Just this once, let me return the favour."

Ron slowly rose to his feet, and after one final look, turned and began pushing Kim's wheelchair back to the van. "I love you so much Kim Possible!"

Kim leaned her head back, looking up at him. "I love you too Ron Stoppable!"

Ron leaned down, and kissed her gently. For the first time in a long while, Ron again felt truly happy.

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Author's Notes – I never knew what to do with the little guy in my stories, but no one can say I never gave him the send-off he deserved!


	3. Chapter 3

Disney refuses to sell to me, so they still own everything. A basic knowledge of the events in Life Changes would be good for this one. This does touch on that story a fair bit.

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Recovery – Chapter 3

Kim sat back stunned, running over everything in her head. She took a couple of deep breaths before slowly turning back to Ron. "So… Drakken and Shego are good now? He's working with Wade to develop tech for you guys, and she's working for Global Justice?"

Ron just smiled, trying hard to resist laughing. He knew this was all hard to accept for someone just hearing all this for the first time, and knew she'd just get angry if he gave into the urge to laugh. "Actually, she just does the odd mission for them on an independent basis. Mostly, she does bounty-hunting work. It wasn't hard to convince GJ to back her on this."

Kim looked incredulously over at Ron. "This was your idea?"

Ron just shrugged. "Well, she had just helped save the planet on live TV. Would have been hard to deny her a new lease on life. Besides, they took most of the money that they had stolen when they gave them a pardon. But that's not the best part! I think Shego has a boyfriend! Can't get any details out of her, but I think it's the GJ agent they assigned to her."

Kim just started chuckling, and lay back down. "Now I know your making things up! There is no way Shego would go for someone like that!"

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Shego was getting tired just watching Steve bustling around the compound, running back and forth from his office to the control room. He had been going at it for over two hours now, without a single explanation as to what was going on. At first, she had been content to let him work, knowing he was in no real mood to talk when he got like this, but she was just getting tired of it.

"Stevie, I hope this isn't some work thing. I thought we were going out dancing tonight, and you know how I am after a night of dancing."

Steve Barkin paused at that, and looked over at the sultry smile she had on her face. A faint grin crossed his face before he shook his head. "This won't change our plans for tonight, but I want to try and get this out of the way as soon as possible."

Shego sat back in her chair, looking at him suspiciously. "So what's the big deal then? I've never seen you like this before a mission. You're acting like a chicken with its head cut off."

Steve set a few things on the table, and she could see a good number of books and a laptop computer. "First off, I don't 'run around like a headless chicken'! This is just something that can't be solved with a phone call or two."

"So are you going to tell me, or will I have to… torture you tonight?"

A faint grin crossed his face as he turned to her. "While that sounds like fun, I don't think it will be needed." He stacked a couple final books onto the pile before turning back to her. "Kim Possible just woke up."

Shego leaned forward quickly, her eyes slightly wide. "So Princess finally woke up? I'm betting Ronnie's feeling pretty good right now!"

Steve grunted slightly before scooping up the large stack. "While I'm sure Stoppable's happiness is your paramount concern, Ms. Possible has a good number of other things she needs to worry about."

Shego rose to her feet, wrapping her arms around his neck from behind, rising up to whisper in his ear. "Well Stevie-bear, you just make sure to get back here as quickly as you can!"

Steve twisted his head a bit. "Susan, what have I told you about nicknames?"

Shego pouted slightly. "You don't seem to mind when Ed's around?"

Steve grinned slightly. "Yes, well, for a genius, Ed can be pretty dense. Any chance to… remind him is definitely welcome!"

"That why you still give him the look that sends him running to the garage any time he's anywhere close to me?"

Steve's smile broadened. "No, that's just fun!"

Shego brought her lips up to meet his, smiling when she pulled away. "There's that evil streak I've come to love so much!"

"Yes, you are most definitely rubbing off on me! Maybe Drew can come up with a cream for me."

Shego pulled back slightly. "So now you're trying your hand at comedy?"

Steve chuckled lightly, giving her another kiss. "I'll be back soon, this won't take long."

"Just remember, faster you get back, the more fun we can have in the hot tub! After all, how often do we have this place to ourselves?"

Steve watched as Shego headed for the door to the living quarters. She looked over her shoulder briefly, and gave her hips a little extra sway, and Steve grinned. Theirs was most definitely a strange relationship…

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_Almost 2 months ago_

"Agent dude, seriously, thanks for helping me out man. All I really want is to work on my toys, and if I can do that, I really don't need to go back to stealing. Seriously!"

Steve Barkin winced as he watched Ed Lipsky stuff half a submarine sandwich in his mouth, surprised that he was able to continue breathing with that much food in his mouth. "You do understand the agreement you signed though. All independent projects must be cleared by me at all times."

Ed raised his hands defensively and swallowed the food he had been chewing. "Not a problem man, not a problem. Seriously!"

Steve gave the blond haired man a brief look and scowl, before taking his coffee to the gym. When he noticed Ed following him, he resisted the urge to tear the man's head off, knowing that Ed had as much right to work out as anyone staying at the compound that Shego had begun to affectionately nickname "the Jailhouse". It wasn't even something that Ed had done that bothered him so much, not even the unorthodox way that he had been brought onto the squad by Drew and his mother. In just three days, he had already improved the performance of the jet in the hanger, and he had set to do the same with the ground vehicles.

No, what bothered Steve about Ed was the way he flirted with Shego. She rebuffed him always, at least in front of him, but he had seen her grin on occasion when Ed started it in front of him, as if knowing just what he was feeling every time. Steve had never really considered himselfa jealous person, especially since his and Shego's relationship was less than a week old at this point, but there was just something… something he couldn't quite put his finger on. There was just something about the former villainess that did something to him, and it made him feel in ways he never imagined he would.

Steve polished off his coffee, putting the empty cup on the shelf near the door to the gym, and began stretching out. Ed slipped by him, moving quickly to the bench press, but not before stopping to look out through the window towards the pool. Steve looked up when he heard Ed whistle quietly, and moved over to the window, quickly seeing what had drawn his attention. Shego, dressed in a very skimpy, black, two-piece bathing suit, was swimming laps in the pool, unaware of the attention now directed her way. Steve watched as she stepped from the pool, watching the droplets of water glistening as the lights above her reflected off each droplet on her skin. Even Steve felt the urge to whistle as she casually ran her hands through her hair, giving it a brief squeeze to drain the excess water. She glanced over towards the window, smiling when she saw the audience she had picked up, and gave a small wave before heading to the change room.

When Shego was out of sight, Ed whistled again, and sat down at the bench press, stretching briefly before settling in under the weight. "Damn, you have to love that girl. She has that green magic working for her. Seriously!"

Steve glared over at Ed, but continued his stretching that had been interrupted a moment before. He had hoped to work out in peace, but Ed just kept on talking. "Personally, I'd like to take another run at her. Just something about her gets the fire going, seriously."

Steve paused, and looked over at Ed. "What do you mean 'another' run?"

Ed smirked as he looked over at Steve, not pausing in his reps. "Oh man, you know I tapped that, seriously! Almost a year ago now. I was working with my cousin before Red showed up and ruined it. Still, had plenty of time to get acquainted much better with her. She's like a tigress in the sack, seriously!"

Steve's hands clenched at his sides, his face set as he made his way over to Ed. "Seriously?"

Ed laughed, pushing the weight up. "Seriously! You know man, I'm betting if you feel like getting your freak on, she'd be interested. I know you've had your eye on her, man, and seriously, she'll put out for you! She's like arithmetic man, easy as pie. Seriously!"

Ed began lifting the weight back off his chest, and was surprised when it didn't move. He looked up in time to see Steve push the bar down over his neck, and struggled as he felt the weight pressing down on his neck.

Steve leaned down, bringing his face right in front of Ed's, not removing the pressure he put on the bar, his face a mask of anger and rage. "That's my girlfriend you're talking about you greasy pig, and I'd appreciate it if you kept your hands and your mind off her from this moment on. You don't flirt with her, you don't talk with or about her unless it relates to a mission, and you certainly never speak about her like that again! Do you understand?"

Ed nodded quickly, his face going red. Steve just smiled. "Good. Because if you piss me off, this little talk will seem like an afternoon tea. Seriously!"

Steve let up on the bar, and Ed pushed it back onto its support, grabbing his throat as soon as the weight was settled, coughing every so often. Shego took that moment to exit the change room, dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, quickly taking in the sight in front of her. "Everything all right in here boys?"

Steve smiled, placing a hand on Ed's shoulder. "Everything is just fine. Ed just had a little trouble with the weight, didn't you Ed?"

Ed looked up at Steve, and cringed slightly at the look on his face. "Yeah, everything's cool. Seriously."

Shego smiled, brushing up against Steve as she walked past. She noticed the way Ed refused to even look at her, and knew just what kind of 'help' Steve had provided. "Well, just play nice boys. You going to be joining me for dinner Stevie?"

Steve smiled as he watched her heading out. "Wouldn't miss it!"

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Steve smiled as he pulled into the hospital parking lot, remembering the night that followed after that. She had gotten the full story out of him, but it had involved some very… different interrogation techniques than he was accustomed to. Of course, his conversation with Ed would come back to haunt him laterPulling the car to a stop, his mind returned to the task at hand, and he quickly grabbed the materials he had brought with him. He had a job to do!

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Kim was amazed at just how many people wanted to come visit her. Word must have quickly gotten out. Ron had spent the last few hours talking to her, telling her everything that had happened in the last six months, not moving from her side once. When Tara and the other cheerleaders, Bonnie absent, had come by, she almost had had to get the squad to take Ron out of the room to get something to eat. She knew he was worried about her, but Kim hadn't seen him eat all morning and into the afternoon, and knew that he must be starving. It took both her and Tara to convince him to go, if only for a half hour to grab some food, and even then he left reluctantly.

_Ron has been here almost non-stop today. Probably wouldn't have even left last night if it weren't for Mom kicking him out. Six months, and he stuck with me all that time. I don't think I could love him more if I tried. Of course, all the attention might get annoying… in another week or two. Too bad I won't be on solid foods for another week, I could capitalize on all the Beuno Nacho I bought him over the years._

"… so what do you think?"

Kim looked up quickly, her eyes slightly wide as she turned to Tara. "Oh… umm… I'm sorry. I was thinking about something else and… well…"

Tara smirked just a little and looked back at the rest of the girls. "I think we all know what Kim was thinking about. Like how long it will be before she'll be well enough for Ron to get into the bed and not just beside it!"

Kim's eyes went wide as she stared at Tara, hearing a few snickers from the rest of the girls. "Tara, I'm not… that wasn't…"

Tara smiled, placing a hand on Kim's arm. "I'm just kidding, though from the way you're protesting…"

Kim chuckled self-consciously. "I guess Bonnie wasn't the only one to change in the last few months!" Kim's gaze shot behind her blond-haired friend, and was surprised to see the imposing figure of Mr. Barkin standing in the doorway.

His expression was one of all business as he surveyed the room. "If I could have a moment with Ms. Possible please. It should only take a minute."

His expression brooking no argument, the rest of the squad filed past him, and Kim could see the large stack of books in his arms. Motioning to the chairs beside her, Mr. Barkin placed the stack on one chair, but remained standing.

"I've been preparing for this for some time now, and I'm pleased that you'll still have time."

Kim looked at him curiously, trying to identify some of the titles, and suspecting just what they were. "Time for what?"

Mr. Barkin opened up the laptop computer sitting at the top of the stack, handing it to her gingerly. "Time to finish your schooling at Middleton High in order to graduate this year with the rest of your class. I have contacted the school board, and condensed the curriculum down to a manageable level, but it will still require you to work exceptionally hard to meet the deadline. I assume it will be a couple weeks before you can return to classes, at which point I will be conducting the necessary testing for the material you submit to me. As you will not have time to go over class lectures, I have been authorized to allow the use of tutors for the purposes of assignments. You can get whatever help you need from Ms. Jenkins or Ms. Rockwaller, both will have been informed before the end of the day. You will resume normal classes when you are able, but will still be responsible for all work assigned by me. All of this is listed on the introduction file, as well as your assignment schedule."

Kim sat stunned as the computer finished booting up, and she saw the assignment schedule open in front of her. It seemed like an awful lot of work, especially with less than two months on the school year, and normally wouldn't have stood a chance at getting it done. Realizing that she would have very little to do in the next week or two other than physical therapy though made the task seem a whole lot more doable. "I... I don't know what to say."

"Say you'll get the work done. I didn't set this up just so you would fail."

Kim nodded and smiled. "I'll get it done Mr. Barkin, no big!"

Steve Barkin nodded. "Good to hear." He turned to leave, but paused at the door. Not turning, he allowed a smile to cross his face, unseen by Kim. "It's good to have you back Possible!"

Steve Barkin left quickly before she could respond, smiling as he left the hospital.

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Author's Notes – Hope you all liked the little flashback there. Like I said, I enjoyed Life Changes so much, and with where I left it off, I just had to do more. When I have a chapter that heavily involves Shego or Barkin, I think I'll do another flashback scene, just to get a glimpse of what's going on with my very own version of the odd couple. As well, I uploaded a picture of the Jailhouse to my deviantart account, just showing the layout and all that. Check my profile for the address to see what the building looks like.


	4. Chapter 4

Disney refuses to sell to me, so they still own everything. Should have said this last chapter, but I hope everyone had a happy holiday! And for anyone new, **Bold **indicates vision from Bonnie.

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Recovery – Chapter 4

Ron entered Kim's room carrying a small tray in his hands, laden with juices and a bowl of soup. Kim smiled when she saw him, and Ron decided a little theatrics were in order, bowing to her as he shifted the tray over her lap. He eyed the books on the chair beside her, and moved another chair over to sit down. "Now I know why Barkin was smiling when I went past him. He just laid six months of homework on you, didn't he."

"Yeah, he also kind of scared off the squad as well."

Ron shook his head, glancing at the books again. "Well, the man takes joy in his tortures. I could just picture him as a villain. Homework Man, dispensing mind-numbing work on unsuspecting peoples around the world, choking the world's freedom in essays and projects!"

Kim laughed at the image that came to mind at that. "He's not that bad Ron! I mean, he is helping to make sure I graduate with the rest of you."

"Yeah, but does he really have to take such joy in it? You know, I wish he'd get a girlfriend. Maybe he wouldn't want to spend so much time marking papers if he was getting some regularly."

Kim, just taking a sip of her juice, spurted the beverage all over Ron at that statement. She coughed slightly as Ron wiped his face, unable to conceal a grin. "That is just wrong Ron! Now I'm going to have that mental image stuck in my head all day!"

"Well, maybe there's something I can do to get rid of that for you." Bending over her, Ron gently placed his lips on hers. He held his lips there for a few seconds before pulling back, smacking his lips as he sat back down. "Hmm… appley! So, that nasty image all gone now?"

Kim's grin was almost goofy as she brought her hand up to cup his chin deftly. "All gone. What did I ever do to deserve you?"

Ron's face took on a serious countenance as he started counting off his fingers. "Well, you help little old ladies cross the road, you stop evil from taking over the world, and you haven't killed your brothers. Personally, I think they should nominate you for sainthood!"

Kim's smile faded slightly as her hand now moved to his. "I'm serious Ron. You put your life on hold for me. Tara told me how you came here every Friday and Saturday, just because it was our date nights. You had no idea how long I'd be in a coma for, and…"

Ron quickly placed a finger on her lips, silencing her. "First off, I didn't put my life on hold. Just… certain aspects of it. Second, and most important of all KP, you are my life! You've been with me through everything, no matter how stupid it was, no matter how over the top I went. When I was hurt, you were there. This wasn't any different, and it won't be any different. Kim, I love you, and nothing is ever going to change that! As the most beautiful woman in the world once said, I couldn't save the world without you! Now, eat your soup before it gets cold."

Kim chuckled softly. "Getting pretty casual with giving orders, aren't you?"

Ron, putting on his best innocent expression, just smiled. "Hey, I've been able to give orders to Bonnie! Kind of gives a guy a complex after a while."

Kim lifted the lid on her soup, staring dejectedly at the chicken broth in front of her. "So Bonnie… she's been helping you on missions for a while now then?"

"Yeah, she's been a big help. Especially now that she's getting her powers more under control. She's changed a lot in the last few months, now that her visions aren't overwhelming her."

Kim sipped gingerly at her soup. "So, you and her are pretty close then?"

Ron shrugged lightly. "I guess so. We hang out a lot outside of missions, bout the same as I do with Monique and Felix and the gang. And the telepathy is pretty cool during missions, but she says my dreams give her real headaches though."

Kim's spoon clattered to the tray as she looked over at him, aghast. "What… dreams?"

Ron's eyes widened as he realized how that might have sounded. "It's not like that. I mean, sometimes we're coming back from a mission, and we fall asleep on the plane, just like we did sometimes. It's just, my mind is pretty open thanks to the mystical monkey power, so she sometimes picks them up without meaning to. Nothing is going on between me and Bonnie. I mean, she and Brick are happy together, and I really wouldn't want to get him mad and… wait, I mean… I don't want anything to be going on with Bonnie because I have you and… oh man, really Kim, there's nothing!"

"Ron, settle down. I believe you." Kim felt him relax slightly, as he quickly shifted the conversation away to another topic. The way Ron had protested though… she knew that Ron wouldn't, but what about Bonnie. Ron said she had changed, but she wasn't so sure. _Might just have to have a little talk with Bonnie when I see her next._

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Bonnie bent down towards where the base of the machine had been, noting quickly how it appeared the device had been ripped right up from the supports. She activated her communicator quickly, and pointed it at the foundation. "Can you run a scan on that while I see if I can get anything Wade?"

Wade began typing furiously, at least, she assumed he was by the noise coming from the device. Bonnie focused on the torn support in front of her, closing her eyes to concentrate. Slowly, she brought her hand over to the jagged metal and…

**"Can you believe how easy it was to get past security? They might as well have opened the door for us!"**

**"Do not get cocky! We sssstill have much work to do before we acomplissshhhh our goalsss."**

**"Both of you be quiet. Let's just grab this thing and get out of here. I don't like the smells here!"**

**Bonnie could see three figures in the dim lighting, but didn't need to get closer to identify the first voice. Gill! She moved quickly closer, trying hard to make out the other two. She didn't recognize them, most likely new players, like had been popping up to fill the gap left by the absence of Drakken and Monkey Fist, but she could tell right away that they weren't human. The one beside Gill looked almost like a giant snake, but the head seemed more human, and it had two very large, muscular arms. It sat almost upright, yet had a very long tail trailing behind that whipped behind it. She could tell he seemed agitated. The third one looked like a wolf walking on its hind legs. In fact, he looked like almost every werewolf she had ever seen in the movies, complete with massive fangs and claws.**

**Bonnie watched horrified as the wolf creature and Gill almost effortlessly ripped the device from the foundations. The snake creature took the lead, and the trio headed out the doors of the lab, jagged metal screeching across…**

Bonnie shook her head to clear it, shivering slightly as she remembered their appearance. The wolf seemed incredibly powerful and strong, while the snake creature seemed just as menacing. Gill was no slouch either. If these three had teamed up, it was bad news.

The beeping of her communicator signaled Wade was done with his scans. She picked it up from the floor, looking at Wade as he was just reaching to the printer. "Have you got something?"

Wade was staring at the printout, his confusion obvious. "Well, I did find what appears to be wolf hair on the floor."

"Yeah, one of the thieves was some kind of a werewolf or something. At least, that's what he looked like."

"Riiight. Anyways, I did find one other thing. A few particles of dirt on the floor, on the right hand side of where the device was."

Now it was Bonnie who appeared confused. "So someone didn't wipe their feet when they came in?"

Wade just smiled. "Yes, and I'm betting that it was our thieves. The soil isn't indicative of that region. In fact, these particles could only have come the Catskill mountain range, about seventy miles west of your location. I checked the personnel logs, and no one working there has been there in the last six months. It's a pretty safe bet that that's where we'll find them."

"Sounds good Wade. But, umm… think you can give Tara and Ron a call to help out?"

"I thought we were giving Ron the day off to be with Kim?"

Bonnie winced. "Yeah, I know, but I think this just got a lot more complicated. There are three of them, all mutants. One of them is Gill, but I don't know the other two. One's a wolf, like I mentioned earlier, and the other is a snake. I think it might be a bit much for just Tara and me."

"I'll give him a call, get him to meet up with Tara at the airport. Your ride will be there shortly, and they'll rendezvous with you in about three hours. Meanwhile, I'll try to pinpoint where in the park they are. After all, it's a big place, and if they plan on using that thing, they are going to be using a lot of power. Oh, before your ride gets there, could you find out what that device does? I can't find anything on it, so they must have the information on it on a separate computer than their mainframes. Might help in tracking it down."

Bonnie nodded. "I'll do that, and give you a call right back. Thanks Wade!"

Bonnie turned off her communicator, and quickly found Dr. Steeles at his work desk. "Doctor, I was wondering if you could tell me what that device did? It might help us find it faster."

The doctor turned in his chair, looking up at her. "It was a medical device we had constructed that utilized recombinant DNA from various species in an attempt to see if we could better use animal DNA in medical treatment. It emits a small pulse wave that targets damaged DNA, rewriting it to repair damaged tissues. You see, various species have the ability to regenerate tissue, and we were hoping to utilize that aspect to cure various conditions."

Bonnie's eyes went wide as she began to understand the implications. "Could it be modified to emit a large pulse?"

Dr. Steeles seemed to ponder that question for a moment. "Well, I guess it would be possible. Of course, the power required would be enormous. You couldn't just plug it into a wall socket and expect it to do that."

"And if the thieves were to increase the percentage of animal DNA?"

"Well, that… oh my… that would be… oh my!"

Bonnie pulled out her communicator again quickly, not even waiting for Wade to respond. "Wade, I think I know what they plan to do!"

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"Sorry to call you in on this Ron, but Bonnie doesn't think her and Tara can handle it alone."

Ron's face fell as he looked over at Kim. "I understand. If it was just Gill, I wouldn't worry, but if these guys are new, better to be there, just in case."

"Tara will be there in a couple minutes. Again, sorry about this Ron."

Ron watched as the screen went dark before turning to Kim. "KP, I'm really sorry about this."

Kim just smiled at him. "Don't worry about it Ron. Just do what you have to do. I'll be fine. My folks were bringing the Tweebs by in a little bit anyways."

Ron leaned over, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'll be back as soon as I can, all right?"

Kim laughed, making shooing motions with her hands. "Go on, get out of here. Tara's probably already waiting out front for you."

Ron made his way to the door, but turned quickly before leaving. "Thanks KP. I love you!"

Kim shooed him again. "I love you too! Now get out of here and stop them so you can get back here!"

Kim watched him quickly head out, and when she was sure he was gone, her smile faded. She looked down at her legs, and felt the incredible energy it took just to lift them up. Despite what Ron had said, she couldn't help feeling completely useless to him. Bonnie and Tara were there to back him up, and here she was, unable to even get to the bathroom on her own. Kim fought back the tears that threatened to break free, as she silently prayed that Ron would be all right.

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"Ron, are you sure there isn't another way to get there?"

Ron patted Tara on the shoulder as the wind whipped through his hair, glancing down. "No where to land. Besides, Bonnie is waiting down there with a jeep for us to take us to their base. Believe me, you'll be fine! Just pull your chute when I tell you to."

Tara glanced past the open door of the plane, pulling back quickly. "I don't know if I can do this Ron."

Ron placed both hands on her shoulders comfortingly. "Don't worry. We'll try this a different way then."

Without a word, he threw himself out of the door, pulling Tara along with him. Her shrieks were painful as they began to plummet towards the ground, but after only a few seconds, Ron pulled her ripcord, and she shot upwards a bit as the drag from the parachute began arresting her fall. Ron pulled his chute as well, and slowly drifted down to the ground, quickly catching sight of Bonnie and the jeep. He landed a bit awkwardly and rolled, but came quickly to his feet, undoing the straps across his chest.

Bonnie was leaning against the jeep, smiling as she looked upward towards Tara. "Tara had a little trouble with her first jump?"

Ron smiled as he rolled up the chute to throw into the back of the jeep. "Yeah. Had to provide a little… motivation."

"I can tell. I didn't even know Tara knew that kind of profanity."

Ron paused to listen, and winced when he made out some of the comments she was saying. "Well, at least that last one is anatomically impossible."

Bonnie glanced over at him, with almost a look of pity on her face. "Doesn't mean she isn't going to try."

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Ron rubbed his stomach, as he sat in the back seat, grateful that Tara had decided to hold off on some of her more… descriptive punishments until after the mission was over, something Ron decided he was very thankful for.

Bonnie pulled up to a stop as Ron's Kimmunicator beeped. He quickly leaned forward for the girls to see. "What's the sitch Wade?"

"I'm reading massive power signatures approximately 500 meters from your position. Looks like they've been able to tap into a main power relay off the Niagara/Mohawk power grid."

Ron's expression took on a serious countenance. "Can you tell how large they could enlarge the field with that much power?"

Wade looked worriedly at the screen in front of him before turning back to the teens. "Um… I'd say about a 200 mile radius, give or take a few miles. Enough to affect New York, Boston, Washington, Philadelphia… that's a lot of people."

"We'll stop them Wade, don't worry." Ron slid the Kimmunicator back into his pocket, looking up at Bonnie and Tara. "You two go on ahead in the jeep. According to the map, the road is winding all the way there."

Tara seemed a bit concerned as he got out of the jeep. "What are you going to do?"

Ron gave them a goofy grin as he pointed up the hill. "I'm going to go for a little run, see if I can't find a back door to this place." He turned quickly, and bolted rapidly up the hill.

Tara looked shocked as he cleared the hill in seconds. "How…?"

Bonnie just smiled as she put the jeep into gear. "You've never seen him go full mystic monkey, have you? Makes him faster and stronger, though he still can't maintain it for too long. He'll probably take a quick breather before he heads in. Now, we should hurry if we want to keep up with him.

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Ron allowed himself a moment to revel in the sensation of freedom as he whipped past the trees, his feet moving almost automatically as he dodged downed logs and tree branches. The whole "aspect of a monkey" had always freaked him out at first, scaring him with how it seemed to take control of him at times. Now that he knew how to use it, it no longer scared him as much. He could enjoy the freedom it gave him. Of course, he tried to avoid thinking of it as monkey related, but even that didn't seem to trouble him as much.

He slowed as he neared what could only be the compound where they had taken the device. He crouched down, trying to catch a glimpse of where they might be. The place seemed deserted, even as he could hear the electricity buzzing. He gaze tracked the power cords, running along the ground to where they emerged from the ground. Seeing no one, he stepped out, prepared to pull the plug.

A sharp blow from behind drove Ron to the ground. Twisting as quickly as he could, he looked up blearily into the face of what Bonnie had called the werewolf. With its fangs dripping in front of him in some kind of vicious grin, he couldn't fault how she had thought that.

"Took the first punch? Let's see how you handle a second one!"

Darkness claimed Ron as the huge fist made contact.

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Bonnie and Tara pulled up quickly to the compound, hopping out and ready to go. The building seemed almost more like a concrete bunker than anything else, but Bonnie quickly noticed the power cables running along the one side. The two teens quickly made their way over and found an open door where the cables were running in. She glanced around for Ron, but saw no sign of him, and wished he'd hurry up a bit.

The two teens entered slowly, keeping alert to any motion or sound, but nothing interrupted them as the reached the device. Bonnie slowly knelt down to examine the wiring while Tara stood watch. Bonnie glanced left and right before smiling, reaching down to pull…

**Gill jumped out from the corner, a hidden doorway now evident. His claws sank deep into Tara's back and she screamed.**

Bonnie grabbed Tara and pulled her down just as Gill popped into view, his claws passing effortlessly over her head. Bonnie smiled as she readied herself. "Sorry fish boy, I think…"

Bonnie was cut off suddenly as the snakeman's tail whipped out from nowhere, smacking Bonnie into the wall where she slumped, unmoving. Tara looked up frantically, scrambling to her feet and backing up from the two opponents in front of her. Both slowly moved in on her, their grins hideous as they advanced. "You won't get away with this!"

Gill's frown was obviously mocking. "You think the Squeeb is going to help you?" Gill looked over to her right, and Tara chanced a glance that way. When she saw Ron being carried on the man wolf's shoulder like a sack of potatoes, her heart caught in her throat.

Gill quickly began laughing. "You're all alone little girl. Now, I know it's been a while, but I think it's time I refreshed your memory on some of those promises I made last time we met.

As Tara watched the three mutants advancing on her, her back to one wall, Tara could no longer suppress the urge to scream.

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Author's Notes – You know, this whole mission was not in my original plans, but when the idea hit, I just had to go with it. It's also my first attempt at original characters, so I hope it works. Oh, and for Gill's "promises", see Tara Strikes Back.


	5. Chapter 5

Disney refuses to sell to me, so they still own everything. Some may think I've made Kim weak here, and that was definitely not my intention. But Kim is human, and prone to the same thoughts as anyone when something like that happens. I am one of the most independent minded people I know, but when I tore up my ankle and shattered my leg, I went through the same thing, that helpless feeling that I couldn't do anything now. 2 days later, I was hobbling back to my room on crutches carrying a bowl of soup, just to prove I could do it. So don't worry, Kim won't be "weak" for long!

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Recovery – Chapter 5

Bonnie awoke quickly to someone kicking her. Groaning, she realized very rapidly why her arms were hurting her as well as she glanced upward, noticing her hands tied and elevated above her, leaving her dangling like a piece of meat from the ceiling. She glanced over at Tara and saw her friend in the same situation, struggling heavily against her bonds. She glanced around the room and saw Ron to the right, in the same situation, though obviously still unconscious.

"Glad to see you're awake! Now, do you think you could wake up Ron so we can get out of here?"

Bonnie twisted her legs up, swinging over towards Ron as he hung limply in the restraints. Wrapping one leg over his shoulder, she used her other one to tap Ron on the chest. He stirred briefly, but did not awaken. Applying a bit more force, she was almost kicking him before his head lifted up.

"OWW! You know, you could have tried waking me a bit nicer."

Bonnie shifted, and her legs fell back down, swinging her back and forth in her restraints. "Sorry. You were pretty out of it there."

Ron shook his head, taking in their surroundings. "So… we got taken out pretty quick, huh?"

Bonnie smiled grimly. "Yeah, wolf boy took you out when we got here. Last thing I remember is snake boy taking me out. Tara, any idea what happened, and why they tied us up here?"

"Well…"

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Tara hugged herself against the wall, her gaze shifting between the three advancing mutants. Gill smiled, his teeth glinting in the pale light of the room, moved towards her. "Not so tough now, are you. No golf clubs to be had, no window to throw me out of? Just what are you going to do now?"

Tara huddled tighter, visibly shaking. "Why are you doing this?"

It was the snake man who spoke first. "Payback for what they did to us! I spent two years in a government lab, with them poking and prodding, trying to figure out how I got this way. Now it's their turn to suffer!"

Gill chuckled, taking Tara's jaw in his hands only for her to pull away. "Well said Serpentine! This is about payback. And now that all my least favorite people are here, I can get all the revenge I ever wanted."

"We should kill them now, get it over with." The wolf man kicked Ron in the side, as he stared down in contempt. "This one especially! He doesn't smell right."

Gill whirled on him, anger evident. "I'll decide when we kill them Lupus. I rescued you from that lab, I'm in charge!" He turned back to Tara, smiling again. "In half an hour, we'll have our vengeance, and then… then you and I can play to our heart's content. Of course, depending on what you mutate into, we might have to change some of the games I have planned. But it should still be fun."

"Thank you."

Gill looked surprised to hear that from Tara, and he looked between his compatriots in surprise. "Thank you for what?"

Tara looked up, a smile on her face. "For telling me what I needed to know."

Tara kicked up, her foot connecting solidly with Gill's groin. As he fell back, clutching himself, Tara leapt towards Lupus, who stood there stunned as Tara flipped, driving both feet into his jaw. Reaching into Ron's pocket, she grabbed the collapsible staff she knew he kept there, pulling it out quickly.

Lupus, now enraged, charged quickly at her, fangs glistening and dripping as he dove towards her. At the last second, she pressed the button, and the staff shot out upward, catching Lupus under the jaw for a second time, knocking him across the room. Tara stood quickly, staff in hand, smiling at the downed Gill.

Gill struggled to his feet. "Get her you idiot!"

Serpentine dove forward and Tara leapt quickly to the side, bringing the staff down in an ax swing on the mutant's tail. Serpentine grunted, and swung quickly towards her again, bringing his tail to bear as well. Tara dove low to avoid the tail swing, bringing her staff up quickly to catch Gill in the mouth as he tried to move behind her.

Dodging another strike, she aimed the staff for the exposed head of Serpentine. Her momentum was suddenly halted though when a large, furry hand intercepted the staff in mid-swing, wrenching it from her grasp. Momentarily off balance, Tara found herself quickly encircled in Serpentine's tail, and he gave a squeeze for good measure, driving the air from the blonde's lungs. Tara fought off the urge to pass out, but had no strength to try and break free.

Gill rose to his feet, wiping the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand. "Take them to the back room and tie them up. We'll deal with them later!"

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"… and that was about twenty minutes ago, so we don't have much time!"

Bonnie struggled harder against her bonds, glancing over at Ron. "Any ideas on how…"

Bonnie paused when she saw Ron quickly flip upwards, holding onto the rope that bound his hands. Hanging upside down, legs wrapped around the rope, he began furiously working at the knots tying his hands, pausing every so often to see how to untie it. The seconds ticked by, seeming to take forever, as Ron moved his teeth into play to work the knot faster. "Almost… almost… got it!"

Ron promptly fell to the floor with a thud. "Note to self, don't break concentration when hanging upside down."

Struggling to his feet, he quickly worked loose the knots keeping Bonnie and Tara hanging, helping them to the floor far gently than he did. They took a moment to work the circulation back into their limbs, before turning to the door. "Let's stop the bad guys!"

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Kim grew worried as the time grew longer. Without her Kimmunicator, she couldn't even call Wade to get an update on Ron's progress, and the waiting was driving her insane. She trusted Ron to handle things, she had faith in him, but the not knowing…

_Pull yourself together! He's handled things on his own before, especially in the last 6 months. He'll be fine!_

Kim glanced out the window, watching as the sun was slowly sinking below the horizon. In the pale light, she could make out her reflection in the window, just enough to make out her expression. Her eyes widened when she saw the look there, the defeat on her face as her reflection gazed back at her. She almost couldn't recognize herself.

_That face… that's not me… I've never looked like that before… have I?_

Tearing her gaze away, she looked down at her legs again, raising her right leg slowly. The weight seemed intense, but this time she didn't stop. Bending her knee, she brought the leg right up to her chest, and wrapped her arms around it, holding it still for a moment. Letting it go, she straightened the leg, raising it as high as she could before letting it down to the bed again. She repeated the process again with her other leg, and then back again. After several more times, she took a break, breathing heavily at the exertion. Looking back at the window, her reflection was now clearer to her. That defeated look was gone now, and Kim smiled.

_That's better!_

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Bonnie pressed her hand against the door, her eyes closing as she concentrated. Ron began tapping his foot impatiently as he waited for her to finish. When her eyes finally opened, he was relieved.

"We have nine minutes left, according to the timer. Ron, you take Lupus. Tara, you have Gill. And Tara, when I say switch, we change opponents fast, all right?"

Tara nodded to her friend, readying herself. Each of them took a deep breath, ready for action once again.

Ron reared back, and slammed through the door, throwing it open. The three figures huddled around the device were surprised, and Ron took quick advantage, driving a high kick to the jaw of Lupus. In rapid succession into the exposed gut of his opponent and watched him fall to the floor. He glanced over at the two girls and saw they seemed to be handling themselves just fine. He was just about to turn back to his target when he suddenly found himself flying against the wall.

"Pitiful little man! Do you have any idea who I am?" Lupus bared his fangs and dove on top of Ron.

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Bonnie was dodging Serpentine's attacks, but couldn't get close enough to deliver any of her own. He was too fast, dodging away from everything she could throw at him. And every time she did get close enough, she'd have to move away before his greater strength could over power her. Already she was growing tired as she danced around him. She saw Ron go down, but couldn't do anything to help him now. She'd have to trust he would be all right for a few moments more. At least until her and Tara had taken care of these two.

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Tara ducked under a swipe of Gill's claws, scooping up the collapsible staff as she did so. She swung, catching him across the knee, but knew quickly that that wouldn't stop him. She leapt backwards as he took another swipe, and paused to catch her breath for a second.

"You won't get away from me, you little bitch!"

Tara smiled. "Who says I'm trying to get away? We've only just started."

Gill growled as he circled around her. "When I get through with you…"

Tara used her free hand to mock him, imitating his end of the conversation. "Blah, blah, blah. Seriously, you haven't done anything yet. I mean, you don't even rank as a B villain to Kim and Ron. Why should I be scared?"

He dove for her, and she jumped out of the way, tripping him up as he went by. He slammed into the wall and whirled quickly, and Tara could see him building up to spit at her. She saw no cover, and wondered if she'd be able to stay out of the way of his projectile spit, when she suddenly heard Bonnie behind her.

"Switch!"

Tara leapt backwards just as Gill spit, and she saw Bonnie pass her on the left, just as Serpentine's head was diving for her. Bonnie ducked under the strike just as Gill's spit was going to hit her, and it caught Serpentine right in the face and mouth. It covered his eyes, and Serpentine began thrashing as he struggled to remove the gobby mess from his face. Tara just smiled as she drove the staff into the back of Serpentine's head, and he slumped to the ground unconscious.

Tara turned in time to see Bonnie jump up from the floor, catching Gill under the jaw as he was staring at his partner slump to the floor. Gill crashed against the wall, and tried struggling to his feet before Bonnie drove his head back into the wall again. This time he stayed down.

Tara couldn't believe the rush that came over her, as they stood victorious over the mutants lying on the floor. That feeling disappeared quickly enough when she noticed Bonnie frantically looking around.

"Tara, where's Ron?"

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Ron felt his back slam against a tree, and ducked the swipe of Lupus' claws that he knew would follow. He had no idea how Bonnie and Tara were faring, having been knocked out the door and into the woods pretty quickly into the fight. His breathing was ragged, his chest hurting, and he was sure at least one of his ribs were cracked, but he had to fight on. Lupus seemed almost frenzied now, and it was all Ron could do just to keep from dying.

"You think you're a match for me, the big hero? After all the news reports, and the way Gill bitched about you all the time, I figured this would actually be a challenge. You are nothing!"

Ron grabbed the fist flying towards him, stepping to the side quickly before driving his own fist into Lupus' shoulder. Ron jumped back, relieved for a moment as his opponent howled in pain. He could clearly see that the mutant's shoulder was clearly out of its socket. Lupus gripped the arm tightly, his murderous gaze returning to meet Ron's own. With a yell, he wrenched his shoulder back into place, and then snarled. Ron groaned himself. "Come on, what does it take to put you down?"

"More than you have!"

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"Tara, you go try to find Ron. I have to take care of this thing."

Her friend nodded, rushing out the door, and Bonnie scooped up the communicator to call Wade. The young man on the other end seemed almost frantic, but relieved when he finally saw Bonnie. "Are you all right? I've been trying to get a hold of you or Ron for some time now."

"Sorry Wade, no time to chit chat." Bonnie turned the communicator towards the device in the middle of the room. Both of them could hear the humming sound increasing from it, watching as it began counting down from two minutes. "We really need to turn this thing off, Wade."

She could see him frantically typing as he responded. "Bring the Kimmunicator over to it. I should be able to disarm it."

Bonnie moved quickly, and watched as tendrils shot from the Kimmunicator, embedding themselves into the front panel. A few seconds later, it beeped, and the humming died down. "All done."

Bonnie looked surprised. "What… that's it? I was expecting you to be working on that thing till it hit two seconds or something."

Wade just flashed a grin. "Oh come on, I had two minutes to work with. Besides, this isn't a movie.

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Tara could hear the crashing in the woods, and rushed as quickly as she could towards the sounds. Rounding a rather large oak tree, she saw Ron slumped against a tree, breathing heavily, blood flowing freely from a cut across his shoulder. "Ron, are you…"

A large, hairy hand grabbed her from behind, pulling her back. Her eyes went wide as she stared into the gaping maw of Lupus, the edges of his lips pulled back into a snarl.

"Let her go Lupus!"

Lupus chuckled lightly, taking a sniff of Tara's hair, the girl recoiling in his arm. "But Gill seemed so adamant about some of the games he wanted to play. It would be a shame if I didn't at least consider it."

"You know, I'm getting really tired of playing the hostage." Tara kicked up, bringing her leg in front of her, catching Lupus in the jaw. His grip loosened in surprise, and Tara ducked down and out of his grasp.

With Tara free, Ron spun quickly, remembering a little trick he had picked up from Yamanouchi. His foot made contact with the tree at his back, and he quickly stepped out of the way as he began to fall, happily in the direction he wanted. "Time for you to go to sleep, you overgrown mongrel."

Lupus looked up in time to see the tree coming straight for him, and he barely had time to raise his arms before the tree slammed him to the ground, where he lay motionless.

Ron sank quickly to the ground, and Tara rushed over, wincing in sympathy when she began checking out his shoulder. "Does that hurt a lot?"

Ron chuckled. "Nah, it's nothing. I've had worse paper cuts." He flinched when Tara touched it lightly, and the smile faded. "Okay, not many."

Bonnie found them fairly quickly, watching as Tara bandaged Ron's shoulder. "The device is off, and Global Justice should be here in five minutes to pick up the device and our mutant pals. You okay Ron?"

Ron winced when Tara tightened the bandage. "Yup, this is nothing. You tied up Gill and Serpentine?"

"Well… Serpentine was a bit tough to tie up. His hands and mouth are though. Where's Lupus?"

Tara gestured behind her. "He's right… he's gone!"

Ron looked past her quickly, and saw that the manwolf was indeed gone. "Where…"

They searched until Global Justice arrived, but could find no sign of him, other than a bit of fur on the tree where it had hit him.

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Author's Notes – OK, so the names were a bit lame and obvious, but what did you think of them? As well, big thank you to JLBShecky, who became the 50th (completely unbelievable to me) person to add me to their favorite authors list. Thank you to each and every one of you as well who have added me, and I hope you will continue to be happy with what I put out there.


	6. Chapter 6

I don't own, Disney does. The Things Men Do gets referenced a bit here (I seem to be doing that a fair bit, don't I), but nothing to important.

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Recovery – Chapter 6

Kim had managed a couple more reps before her dad came in, with Jim and Tim trailing behind, poking their heads out from behind them. When she saw them standing there in the door, she smiled.

"How are you feeling today, Kimmie-cub?" Her father motioned the twins in, and they slowly walked in ahead of him.

"I'm doing good Daddy. Just trying to get some exercise in before I start hitting the books."

James sat down in the chair, fingering a couple of the textbooks on the pile beside the bed. "Yes, Mr. Barkin had mentioned that he was dropping off your schoolwork for you. Do you think you'll have any problems catching up on it?"

Kim just nodded. "No big, Dad. I have plenty of time in the next few weeks to get caught up. Besides, Mr. Barkin said I had a couple of tutors who can help me."

James just nodded, then glanced at his two sons, who stood beside him, looking very uncertain of themselves. "Wasn't there something you boys wanted to give to your sister?"

Kim eyed them as they approached her on either side, a little wary. When she saw Jim pull a small device from her pocket, she looked uncertainly at her father.

"We made this for you."

"It's a video player."

Kim took the small device from her brother.She noticed quickly the screen flipped up, andupon opening it, the screen lit up. The video began playing immediately, and Kim quickly recognized her house, the decorations clearly showing that it was Halloween. She looked over at her brothers and smiled.

"We figured, since you couldn't go out trick or treating with Ron, that we would go with him…"

"And then we could give you the video, and you wouldn't feel as left out."

"Christmas is even on there as well."

Kim wiped a tear from her eye and smiled. "Thank you so much."

Jim and Tim stood there hesitantly, their feet shuffling under them, before they rushed to her on either side, hugging her tightly. "We missed you Kim!"

Kim wrapped her arms around her brothers, holding them tight, as she looked up at her father, allowing her tears to flow freely.

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Bonnie watched as the Global Justice agents loaded Gill and Serpentine into their containment transports, keeping a close eye on them as they were shoved into the vehicles. When they were loaded, she turned back to where Ron was getting patched up, watching Tara wince every time the medic applied a stitch. She almost laughed at the incongruity. Tara had no problem tangling with a trio of dangerous mutants intent on hurting her, but freaked as she watched Ron getting treated.

She walked up to her friends, trying hard to put a smile on. "So how does it look Ron?"

Ron winced when he felt the needle, but quickly smiled. "Doc says it should heal just fine. Probably won't even have a scar."

Bonnie nodded, but looked quickly over at Tara. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

Tara nodded, placing a quick, comforting hand on Ron's uninjured shoulder, before heading off with Bonnie. When they were far enough away, out of earshot of anyone else, they stopped. "What's up?"

Bonnie glanced around quickly, lowering her voice to a whisper. "You said, after they took me and Ron out, that they had escaped from a government lab?"

Tara nodded. "That's what Serpentine said."

Bonnie glanced back at the Global Justice agents, worry settling on her features. "I'm just wondering… who all might be involved in something like that."

Tara looked over, following Bonnie's gaze. "You think Global Justice… but they have done nothing but help. I mean, Kim never had any problems with them. I mean, sure, Will Du was a little nuts, but he only did what he thought best. Besides, he got suspended for that, didn't he?"

Bonnie sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Yeah, he did. I don't know… just something seems… off, you know? I mean, I never once got a vision off Will, not once. That definitely seems strange to me."

"Well… maybe he just had nothing to get a vision about."

Bonnie shook her head, uncertainty evident in her tone. "I usually get something though. I mean, I know I've picked up a few random ones just from the people here, like a small pressure on the back of my mind every time, but with Will… nothing."

Tara shrugged. "Maybe it was just him. I mean, if you're getting something off these agents, that's got to be it, right? Besides, do you really think GJ would be involved in anything like that?"

Bonnie didn't respond, and just continued watching the agents work.

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Kim listened with rapt attention to her brothers as they talked, telling her of the many inventions they had created while she had been in the hospital while she watched the video, their only interruptions being when they pointed out a particularly important moment on the screen. Dinner was brought in while they were talking, and Kim ate between responses, smiling over at her father every so often, who just sat there smiling.

When she finished, she turned off the small video player, pulling her brothers in for another hug, surprised when they didn't resist. "Thank you so much you guys. I love it!"

The twins just smiled, pulling away after a few moments. Kim's smile faded though when a familiar sensation hit, and she grimaced slightly.

Her father noticed quickly. "What's the matter Kimmie-cub?"

Kim looked vaguely embarrassed, as she looked over at her father. "Um… do you think you could… um… help me for a second Dad?"

James looked at her quizzically. "Sure Honey, anything."

Kim looked away blushing slightly. "Can you help me over the bathroom?"

Jim and Tim's faces lit up before they managed to subdue their grins. James just nodded and smiled. "Of course."

Kim shifted over to the side of the bed, and James moved to pick her up. Kim stopped him, motioning just to help support her. "I want to try and get back to walking, and this will be the best way to do that."

He braced one arm around her waist, allowing her to set her feet gently on the floor before helping guide her to the bathroom only a few feet away. He let her set the pace, walking slowly as she took time to plant her feet and put pressure on them before continuing. When they finally got there, he helped her sit down. He was about to leave before he remembered something. "Oh, just a second Kimmie."

James ducked out the door quickly, coming back with a bag in hand. "Your mother packed this for you before she left this morning, but she's been so busy today, she hasn't had a chance to bring it to you yet. We figured you'd prefer some real clothes to those hospital robes any day."

Kim's smile brightened as she took the bag from him. "Thanks Dad. Now… um… I think I need a few minutes."

James' eyes widened, and he blushed slightly. "Oh, of course Kimmie. Just give a yell when you are ready." James quickly rushed out the door, and as soon as it closed, both Jim and Tim began snickering, though they stopped as soon as he looked at him. James just shook his head, as he waited patiently for her to finish.

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"Aren't you glad we got to land this time?"

Tara just glared at Ron, recollecting just what he had done to her not all that long ago, and Ron reflexively ducked behind Bonnie, all trace of humour now gone.

Bonnie just grinned at him, quickly moving out of the way. "I'm not getting in her way. You deserve it!" She laughed when Tara smacked him on the shoulder, but that quickly ended when both girls suddenly realized which shoulder she had hit, and Tara instantly began apologizing profusely.

With Tara checking on Ron, all anger gone from her now, Bonnie headed for her car, which was parked near the hanger from when she had headed out that morning. She waited for them to get there, and then hopped into the drivers seat. "Should I drop you guys off at home?"

Ron just shook his head. "I should get back to the hospital. Kim's expecting me. You guys want to come by? I'm sure she wouldn't mind more company."

Tara grinned, popping into the passenger seat. "Sure, I wouldn't mind dropping by again. The first time I was there got cut short when Mr. Barkin showed up."

"Yeah, I saw him when he headed out. He dropped off a load of homework on KP, and he was grinning all the way to the elevator. Bonnie, what about you? You didn't have much of a chance to say hi last night."

Bonnie slowly shook her head, keeping her eyes straight ahead as she put the car in gear. "I can't today. I promised my parents I'd help them out with some things."

Ron leaned forward from the back. "You need a hand with anything?"

Bonnie shook her head again, turning slightly so Ron could see the smile on her face. "It's nothing, just some family stuff. You two have a good time visiting Kim though, and tell her I said hi."

Ron sat back grinning, as Bonnie headed to the hospital, but Tara couldn't help noticing how Bonnie's smile kept fading when she thought no one was noticing. It was the same look she had before she had control of her visions, when she was trying to convince everyone that she was fine, a cover Tara was all too familiar with. She resolved to find out later just what was going on her friend, when they had some time alone to talk.

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"There's my beautiful, badical girlfriend!"

Kim looked up to see Ron's smiling face, Tara trailing close behind. Kim noticed her dressed in a close approximation of her own outfit, though Tara's was a yellow colour, and shook her head at the thought of her quiet, mousey, cheerleading friend out fighting evil. "How'd it go?"

Ron smiled as he stood by the bed. "Oh, you know, same old, same old. Gill and cronies steal a device to get revenge, we stopped em. No big."

James Possible stood up, bending down to give his daughter a kiss on the cheek. "I think we'll leave you kids alone. Are you two good to get home?"

Tara just nodded, smiling. "Sure, I've got my car… my car… oh no."

Ron looked over at her confused before realization set in. "It's still at the airport, isn't it?"

Tara just raised a hand to her face, groaning. "I've had the car for two weeks and I already forgot it. My parents are going to kill me!"

James just laughed, placing a hand on the blonde's shoulder to comfort her. "Don't worry. I can give you a lift back to the airport. You can pick up your car and come back here. There are still a couple hours left to visit, so you have plenty of time."

Tara was blushing, but she smiled slightly. "Thanks Mr. Possible." She grabbed up her bag from the floor, turning to wave to Kim and Ron. "I'll be right back guys!"

Kim was laughing by the time Tara left the room, but settled down as Ron moved to sit beside her. "How on earth did she forget her car?"

Ron shook his head as he chuckled. "To be fair, I forgot it too. Bonnie was parked right where we landed, so we all just piled into her car without thinking."

Kim's smile faded slightly, but not enough for Ron to notice. "Bonnie didn't want to come by?"

Ron shrugged. "Nah, she had some family thing to take care of. She'll be by soon enough. I know she was eager to talk to you."

Kim glanced down at the video player her brothers had brought in for her. She remembered the images of Bonnie on the video at Christmas, in her home, with her family and Ron. The way she would casually touch Ron, the way she laughed, Kim knew just from looking that she hadn't heard everything yet. She trusted Ron, and knew he wasn't lying to her, but there was just something in the way Bonnie looked at Ron, something she didn't much care for.

"Yeah, I'm pretty eager to talk to Bonnie myself."

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Bonnie sat alone in her room, her eyes drawn to the pictures in her album. Her and Ron after their first mission together, the whole gang at Beuno Nacho, the pictures taken during Christmas. She ran her fingers over the pictures carefully, gingerly. Carefully, she put the book back down on her bedside table, and threw herself into her blankets, holding her pillow close to her.

_It's all going to be over!_

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Author's Notes – I'm going to be alternating between stories, since I've decided, maybe foolishly, to increase my workload with extra stories. That might mean this only get updated once a week if I end up busy. But don't worry folks, I won't be forgetting!


	7. Chapter 7

I don't own, Disney does. First off, if you are not reading The Darkness Within… you better start now! As well, be sure to check out A Sitch in Mind by The Last Son of 84, an amazing read.

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Recovery – Chapter 7

Monique opened the door to Kim's room, smiling the entire time. It had been extremely bad luck that she had been scheduled to work all Saturday after hearing the news that Kim had woken up, and she made sure that she was there as soon as visiting hours started on Sunday.

As she looked past the door, she saw Kim, on top of her bed doing push-ups. Monique could see the strain on her friend's arms, and watched quietly as Kim worked. _That girl just never stops, does she? Not even awake two days and she's already working out._ She took this opportunity to look her friend over, noting the smaller arms and legs she knew were from lying there for months. She could make out the patch of hair, not fully regrown yet, on the back of her friend's head, and silently wondered if Kim had noticed it yet. Otherwise, she still looked good, and Monique couldn't be happier.

When Kim finally collapsed onto the bed, her breathing heavy, after a count of at least seven according to her reckoning, Monique coughed slightly, and smiled into the shocked expression on Kim's face.

Kim almost squealed with joy as she saw her friend. "Monique, how long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough to see you're going to be giving those physiotherapists headaches for the next few weeks." She quickly moved over to her friend's bed, pulling her tight into a hug, ignoring for the moment the sweat that Kim had built up.

When they pulled away, Kim flopped back into her pillows, smiling. "Ron told me you got stuck working all day yesterday. That really sucked, I was hoping we could catch up."

Monique sat in the chair by the bed, a grin plastered on her face. "Well, Ron told me he bought us three hours of pure, unadulterated girl talk. He's running interference on anyone else who tries to visit right now."

Kim laughed, just trying to picture that in her head of Ron in football gear, tackling anyone who came near the room. She started coughing after a moment, but it settled down quickly. "Sorry about that, my throat's still a bit sore."

Monique's smile faded slightly, but she hid it well. "So, how are you feeling, what with the whole six month thing?"

Kim sighed, pausing noticeably. "Honestly? I'm still trying to wrap my head around everything. It's a lot to take in like this."

"I'll bet! Latest fashions, latest gossip! I mean, you missed the whole Nick and Jessica break-up!"

Kim looked at her confused. "Didn't they just do a TV series together on how happy they were?"

Monique just grinned. "Yup. That's over."

"Now see, this is the kind of news I don't get from Ron!" Both teens laughed, and settled in to talk for a good, long while.

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Tara rapped lightly on the door. It was early for a Sunday, but she knew that Bonnie's parents would be up, if not Bonnie herself, who liked to take the quiet time that the day provided to meditate and clear her head. She smiled brightly when Bonnie's mother answered the door, dressed in a bright apron, the smell of bacon on the stove cooking indicating she was readying breakfast.

"Tara, what a surprise. What are you doing here this early?"

"I was hoping to catch Bonnie before she took off somewhere, Mrs. Rockwaller. You know, get some girl time in?"

The older woman opened the door wider, letting Tara in. "Please dear, I told you. Call me Heather. You're practically family! BonBon's upstairs in her room."

"Thanks Mrs. Ro… Heather." Tara dashed up the stairs, marveling again at how clean the house always seemed to be with of Bonnie's parents working all the time, but knew that was mostly because Bonnie could be such a neat freak. Her house was always a tale of organized chaos, what with an older brother and two younger sisters all living there.

She pushed open the door quietly, trying not to disturb her friend as she was meditating, and was surprised to find her still buried beneath the covers, snoring lightly. She heard her friend stir as Tara pushed open the door further, and she entered the room quietly. She noticed Bonnie waking slowly, and smiled when her friend's eyes slowly opened.

"What are you doing here this early?"

Tara leaned over, smiling broadly. "You and I are going to have a talk."

"Bonnie groaned, burying her head. "Come back at a decent hour!"

"And then you would just find some way to be busy, and avoid the whole thing. Just like you always do when you don't want to talk about something."

The covers lifted, and Bonnie glared. "You do know how annoying this chipper thing is, don't you?"

Tara's smile broadened. "And now you're trying to be rude and insulting, to try and throw me off and get me to leave. Sorry, not going to work."

Bonnie moaned, beating her head against the pillows a couple times. "I never should have let you read my psych book."

Tara sat down beside her, and Bonnie shifted quickly to a sitting position. "So, you going to tell me what's bothering you?"

"It's nothing, really."

"You've been acting strange ever since Kim woke up. And other than the first time, when you were following Ron, you haven't been to see her. In fact, you've been doing everything you can to avoid seeing her. Is it because you think she'll blame you? I mean, if you hadn't have, she'd be dead right now, wouldn't she?"

"No, I don't think she'd blame me. I'll go see her, I've just been… busy."

"Bonnie, this is me you're talking to. Anyone else might buy that, but I know when you're trying to hide something."

"Can we just drop it?"

Tara crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm not leaving until you tell me what the matter is."

"I told you, it's nothing. Can you just let it go?"

"I'm not going anywhere."

"I told you, I'm not telling you!" Bonnie rose from the bed, moving quickly to the closet. "There's nothing to tell, and that's all there is to it."

Tara just shook her head. "Not buying it. You will tell me, because I'm just going to keep bugging you until you do, and where will that get you."

"You want to know? Do you really?"

Tara rose slowly. "You know I do. I want to help!"

"Fine." Bonnie tossed the shirt she had been fingering onto the bed. "You want to know what's bugging me? I wish Kim had never woken up!"

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Kim laughed as Monique described how Barkin had caught Josh and Tara in the janitor's closet, half undressed, as he had gone to get something to clean up a coffee spill in his office, and she tried to picture Tara doing something like that. The image just wouldn't come to her, though thankfully, she was kind of glad it hadn't. They laughed together for a few moments, and Kim decided to get out what she had on her mind.

"Monique… what about Bonnie?"

Monique just smiled. "Girl, Bonnie has changed so much. It's just UFB!"

Kim laughed softly. "Sorry, it's been a bit since I had to interpret. UFB?"

"Un Freakin Believable! I swear, that girl has completely changed. I mean, it was slow at first, but after the… you know… with Monkey Fist, when… she's just been like someone else entirely. I think it's since she started taking control of her powers. Not sure if I would like her going full telepathic, a girl's gotta keep her secrets you know, but it's definitely done her some good."

"What about… with Ron?"

"Oh, she's been watching his back for you, no worries there. She ain't got the kung fu going like you and Ron do, but she's learning. Course, with what else she got going for her… you hear about that sitch with the psychic went crazy? Anyways, she handled that fine when no one else could. Now Tara's getting in on it… no need to worry bout your man getting hurt till you're back on your feet."

Kim smiled faintly. "That… wasn't quite what I was talking about."

Monique looked over Kim, looking for some clue as to what her friend might be talking about, when her eyes widened in understanding. "Are you jellin on Bonnie? Girl, you got no worries there. Bonnie and Brick are tight, she ain't moving in on Ron."

"Are you sure?" Kim's hands twisted the blanket under her hands, as she looked over at the recorder her brothers had brought over the day before. "I mean, she was spending Christmas with my family and Ron? And the way she was touching him…"

"Kim, her family celebrated the day before, so your folks asked if she wanted to drop by. Now, granted, I know there was a bit of awkwardness between them after he took a dip in her head, but I really don't think there is anything going on between them. Sure, they're close, but Brick wouldn't leave the two of them alone if he thought there was something happening. And neither would I!"

"So… it's nothing I have to worry about?"

Monique just grinned. "You got no worries there. That man of yours hasn't let that eye wander once. Hell, it was all we could do to drag him to the Winter Formal to have some fun!"

Kim smiled, breathing a sigh of relief. If Monique thought everything was good, it must be. Of course, she still needed to have a talk with Bonnie at some point.

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Tara stared wide-eyed at her friend, her mouth hanging open in shock as she tried to process what Bonnie had just said. "You… you can't really mean that, do you?"

"Yes… no… I don't know. I don't know what I'm feeling right now."

Bonnie groaned and threw herself back on the bed, her eyes closed tight. Tara sat back down, watching her friend closely. "If you didn't mean it, then why… what…"

Bonnie breathed deeply, taking a moment. "I was happy… you know? I mean, I'm finally getting my life together the way I always wanted. Okay, maybe not EXACTLY as I wanted, but I had everything I wanted. I have a wonderful boyfriend, and friends I care about more than anything. My parents are listening to me more now, and I just… with Kim… that's all going to change."

Tara leaned over, putting her hand on Bonnie's shoulder, feeling how tense she was immediately. "It won't all change, I promise!"

Bonnie sat up quickly, pulling away. "You can't promise that! I mean, now that Kim's back, it's like… it's like… going back, you know. I know, that sounds totally wrong and selfish, but it's what I'm feeling right now, okay? First, I'm going to lose Ron as a friend, and then the others start to leave, and I'm back where I started from!"

"Why would you think you would lose Ron as a friend? He'd never do that, you know that!"

"It doesn't change how I feel!" Bonnie crossed her arms over herself, trying to calm down. "Look, I know I'm not making any sense right now, but it's… everything will change now. I mean, once Kim's better, I won't be going on any more missions. Kim wouldn't want me there. I like doing the missions! It gives me a chance to help people with these… these _gifts_ of mine, and if can't do those than… than…"

"You think the old Bonnie would come back."

Bonnie stood there silently, and Tara noticed a small tear running down her cheek. "Pretty stupid, huh?"

Tara rose, and moved to her friend, pulling her in tight for a hug. "It's not stupid, it's… okay, so it's a little stupid," Even Bonnie chuckled lightly, though it held no humour to it. "But it's how you feel. You can't help that! But I know for a fact that old Bonnie won't be back, not if you don't want her to. And as for the missions… talk to Kim. Make her see why you want to do them, why they mean so much to you. She'll understand! But she won't if you don't talk to her about it."

Bonnie pulled away, absently wiping a tear away. "I'll talk to her, I just… I need to work out a few things first, all right?"

Tara smiled that quirky smile of hers, the one that let you know that nothing would get in the way. "Take all the time you need."

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Author's Notes – Yeah, the story will be like this for a bit, so if you're here for action… wait a few chapters. Just don't expect it right away. Gotta build the characters up a bit first.


	8. Chapter 8

I don't own, Disney does. Well, with the last chapter of Impossible Love, I surpassed the 1,000-review mark for my collective stories. I want to thank each and every person who took the time to read and review, and hope you'll continue to stay with me for the rest of the trip! If you haven't yet, be sure to check out Confessions of a Little Black Dress, by Ultimate Naco Topping. It's an excellent little read, full of smuffy goodness, with just a dash of humour for good flavoring!

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Recovery – Chapter 8

"So, Bonnie still hasn't been by at all?"

Kim looked up from her books, sighing lightly. "No, she hasn't. And if she's avoiding me like this…"

"Girl, I told you. Nothing going on between Bonnie and your boy. She probably just doesn't know how to deal. You two weren't on the best of terms before your nap."

Kim smirked slightly at Monique's way to describe the six-month coma. Everyone else just avoided bringing it up, but Monique had no qualms about it. "I guess. But Bonnie never was one to avoid a confrontation before."

"That was the old Bonnie. And while new Bonnie don't take crap from anyone, she also doesn't start none now either. She probably thinks that if she avoids it long enough, it won't be so bad. Of course, she hasn't even been hanging around me or Ron much the last couple of days at school either."

"I just wish we could clear the air. If she hasn't done anything wrong…"

Monique's face lit up, and she smiled. "I think the answer has been right in front of us, and we didn't realize it."

Kim's face flashed with confusion, before a sudden understanding hit her, and she smiled as well.

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"Are you sure we don't need Ron for this?"

Bonnie groaned quietly, sure that Tara's voice was loud enough to echo. "Tara, we'll be fine. It's just Duff Killigan, we can handle him."

"Are you sure? I mean, he has fought Kim and Ron quite a bit, and he's been trouble before."

"We can handle this. Besides, Ron wanted to spend some time with Kim, even though Monique's helping her with schoolwork."

"You know, if you just…"

"Can we not talk about this now?" Bonnie glared at her friend, satisfied that Tara wouldn't respond further. "Now, you remember the plan?"

"I remember. Still think it's crazy though."

Tara stood up quickly, taking a moment to catch a few deep breaths, before walking into the main room of the lab. Duff stood near the back of the room, his back to her, as she sauntered up to Duff, a huge grin on her face. As she neared the center of the room, she coughed, and Duff whirled quickly. His eyes were wild, almost panicked, as he eyed the small, blond woman standing there, and his eyes shot around the room.

"Hello."

Duff blinked at the casual greeting, and slowly moved towards her, wearily eyeing all around him. "Ach, lassie. Ye frightened the bejesus oot of me. Wha's a wee slip of a girl like ye doin here?"

Tara's smile broadened, as she put her hands behind her back, rocking back and forth slightly. "I'm just looking around. A friend of mine works here, and he said I could. Do you work here too?"

Duff smiled broadly, certain she was no trouble anymore. "Aye lassie, I work here. Jus' lookin' for a few things I be needin' to finish me work."

Tara inched closer, playing up the little girl act. "It must be so cool to work at a place like this." Tara reached up with one hand, running it along the front of his shirt. "I really like your kilt."

Duff could barely breath as her finger traced along his chest, as he stared at the girl wide-eyed. "Ah… yes… work…"

"You know, I thought you'd be scarier when I met you. I mean, the way Kim and Ron described you…"

That seemed to snap Duff out of it slightly. "Kim and Ron? Ya don't mean…"

Tara pulled her hand back and smiled. "Yup, Team Possible. I'm a member too you see."

Duff's eyes widened perceptibly. "Then… the wee brown haired lass…"

"Right behind you!"

Duff had barely turned when he felt the electricity coursing through him, and he dropped quickly to the floor. Bonnie smiled as she held the tazer in her hand, looking down at him as he twitched slightly. "No muss, no fuss."

"Maybe not for you!" Tara crossed her arms over her chest, frowning slightly.

"Come on, don't tell me you'd prefer to have fought. Now we can go home and still catch Agony County."

Tara brightened up immediately. "Hey, you're right."

Bonnie whipped out her communicator, signaling Wade. "We have Duff ready for pick-up here. Got a ride ready to go for us?"

The young boy just smiled. "Should be there for you in a couple minutes. Bernice will be at the airport waiting for you as well, she's flying by and can make the brief detour."

"Thanks Wade."

Tara was just finishing putting the restraints on Duff and smiled. "Now, if only you and Kim can take care of things this quickly…"

"Don't start with me."

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Bonnie slumped low in her seat as she scanned through the page they were covering in algebra. Math was never her strong subject, and just the thought of the test next week made her queasy.

She noted Mr. Barkin coming up between the desks towards her, pausing to stand in front of her. "Ms. Rockwaller."

She looked up, a little concerned that he was upset about something, but quickly noticed his usual dispassionate expression. "Yes, Mr. Barkin?"

"Possible notified me that she'd need your help with a couple assignments she's working on. She's expecting you tonight."

Bonnie's eyes widened in shock, and it was all she could do to keep from stammering. "Mr. Barkin… I can't tonight. We have cheerleading practice tonight, and…"

"You've already been excused from cheerleading tonight, and the rest of your squad will be notified of your absence. So unless you have some other pressing matter that prevents you from helping her out?"

"What about Monique? I'm sure she…"

"Ms. Jenkins is already scheduled to work this evening. She notified me this morning when Possible made the request. As well, Stoppable has said he and Ms. Matthews can handle any urgent business, so that you are not disturbed. I expect you'll be able to help Ms. Possible tonight?"

Bonnie cast her eyes downward, unable to come up with something that might get her out of this. "Yes, sir."

Mr. Barkin flashed a grin, very briefly. "Very good then. Carry on."

Bonnie sat there stunned for the rest of the class, her mind whirling in a combination of fear and dread.

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"So the physiotherapy is going well then?"

Kim smiled, as she pushed her legs again, Ron adjusting the resistance to meet the desired effect. "I should be able to start walking in a couple days."

Ron's grin broadened as he let up on the pressure as Kim relaxed. For the twentieth time, he resisted the urge to tickle her feet as he held them in his hands, Kim catching a quick breather in between reps. He knew that, while it might be fun, he didn't want to try and push things right away. "I knew you'd be giving those doctors headaches."

He pushed against her legs as she began again. "You know, the celebration when you get… did it just get cold in here?"

Ron looked up, and saw Kim's face had gone expressionless, her eyes glued to the doorway. He turned his head slowly, expecting any manner of evil fiend or arch-villain, and was surprised to see Bonnie standing there.

"Bonnie." Ron was surprised at the amount of ice he could feel coming from Kim with that one little word.

"Kim."

Now Ron was beginning to worry, and wondered just what the heck was going on. "Ladies… um… Kim? KP? Bonnie?"

"Ron, I need to study now. Maybe you should go get something to eat. Maybe for an hour or two."

Ron's eyes darted between the two girls, uncertain of what he could do to defuse the situation. "You know, I don't think I'm that hungry. I could stay and…" Ron saw Kim's gaze briefly shift to him, and for a moment felt a little afraid. "As I was saying, I'll be back after I eat. Do you want anything? Soup… some crackers… a mop for the blood?"

"No Ron, I think we'll be fine. Won't we Bonnie?"

Ron slowly backed out of the room, shifting his attention from one to the other. "Alrighty then. I'll just… just leave you two to your studying then. Yup… just studying… with no bloodshed involved… hopefully…"

They could hear Ron retreating down the hallway, but neither teen made a move. Both teens just stared at each other, their faces grim, for several minutes, waiting for the other to break off first. Finally, Bonnie stepped into the room, closing the door behind her. "We're not here to study, are we?"

"Nope."

Bonnie sighed, cradling a couple books to her chest. "Fine then, I'll begin. I love Ron." Kim's eyes widened perceptibly, the first motion she had really made since Bonnie had appeared in the doorway, but Bonnie began before Kim could respond. "But just because I love him doesn't mean it's the way you think it is."

With a flick of the wrist, Bonnie tossed a small book to her, and it landed in Kim's lap. Kim stared at it a second, before turning back to Bonnie. "What is this?"

"My diary. Every thought, feeling, and premonition I've had in the last six months, ever since Ron saved my life and my sanity. It's all there! I go into quite a bit of detail about how I feel for Ron. Though, I would skip pages fifty-six through fifty-nine. I did get a little… graphic, describing my first time with Brick."

Kim stared hard at the small book sitting in her lap, as if she was almost afraid to touch it. "I can't… I mean…"

"If reading that is the only way you are ever going to trust me, to trust that I've changed, then I want you to read it!"

Kim glanced up, and could see Bonnie visibly shaking. One look at her face, and Kim could tell she was barely holding it together, and it shocked her to see her old rival so visibly shook up. She had never seen Bonnie so… open. She glanced back down at the diary in her lap. It held all the answers she could ever hope to find, but just the thought of doing that, invading someone's privacy like that, no matter how tempting, made her sick.

"Why are you doing this, Bonnie?"

"Because I am finally happy, and I don't want to lose that. Ron, Monique, the missions, everything! And since you are a part of that, I have to do this. I have to try and make things right with you, no matter what. No matter how much it… it…"

"Bonnie, I just need to know one thing. Are you going to try and take Ron from me?"

"Even if I wanted to, I… no, I wouldn't."

Kim picked up the diary from her lap, and gently put it on the chair beside the bed, motioning for Bonnie to come over. "Than let's see if we can put everything behind us and start fresh. After all, if Ron considers you a friend, that's good enough for me."

Bonnie's smile was genuine for the first time in many days, as she sat down in the chair beside Kim and the two began talking.

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Ron approached the door carefully, and found it closed. Pressing his ear to the door, he could hear no sounds from within, but knew the door might be heavy enough to muffle a lot of sound. Carefully, he pushed the door open slowly, afraid to look inside. "Kim… Bonnie… everything all right in there?"

Ron poked his head through the door, and noticed Kim and Bonnie just sitting there, staring at him like he was nuts.

Kim raised an eyebrow as she looked at him, as a look of confusion crossed his features. "Ron, what are you doing? Are you coming in or not?"

"Well, I… I mean… weren't you two…"

Bonnie just chuckled softly. "Isn't he cute when he's all confused?"

Ron looked sharply at Kim, waiting for a reaction, and prepared to dive for cover. He was surprised when he heard Kim laugh in response.

"Yes, he is. His right eye gets this almost twitch when he gets confused. I hardly noticed it before we started dating. Have you noticed the way his ears go red with the rest of his face the odd occasions he blushes?"

"Tara mentioned that to me, after he accidentally walked into a conversation he shouldn't have between her and Josh. I haven't seen that myself though."

Ron now didn't want to enter the room for a whole host of reasons that he hadn't thought existed before, but he slowly made his way in, his jaw hanging half open as he tried to process the difference an hour made. "So… you two… I mean, before…"

"So not the drama, Ron. Bonnie and I just had to work out a couple of things, that's all."

Ron kept glancing between the two of them, still not sure what to believe. "So, you two are all right then? I mean…"

Bonnie just groaned slightly. "Just come in and sit, will you?"

Ron looked once more between the two women before shaking his head, laughing silently to himself. They spent the next couple hours, till the end of visiting hours, talking over everything and nothing, and Ron knew that maybe, just maybe, everything would be all right.

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Author's Notes – I know, I know, not quite the blow-up you expected, but that's how these things go. Almost a letdown after the build-up, isn't it? lol


	9. Chapter 9

I don't own, Disney does. I was going to update Impossible Love and the Shego prequel first, but they just wouldn't flow. This one did, so it went first for now. Hopefully, the others will be out soon. Be sure to check out Kim Possible : Vengeance, by Pwn Master Paladin, a very different look at life after StD. Guaranteed to be an interesting read!

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Recovery – Chapter 9

"Monique, I don't think I really have time for this. I mean, I'm sure Ron understands."

Monique just shook her head, sorting through the articles on the end of the bed. "Girl, that man of yours has been here every Friday night since your nap, and that ain't going to change now, just cause you think you're too busy. This is your first Friday date night since you woke up, and we are going to make sure it is special. Now, I know Ron is cooking up a storm right now, after asking just what solid food you can eat right now, so you are going to get ready, even if I have to strip you myself and get you ready!"

Kim wanted to argue, knew that she should be getting caught up on the schoolwork, or even doing some exercises, but knew there was no way she was going to win any kind of argument on this issue. Instead, she looked down at the clothes Monique brought from her house, looking them over. "Fine, I could use a break. But what's the point of dressing up?"

Monique stared at her blankly, blinking several times. "Girl, did you suffer brain damage or something? I mean, if I have to explain the point of dressing up for a date…"

"But Ron doesn't care what I wear."

Monique sighed, rubbing her fingers on her temples to relieve the headache she could feel coming on. "Okay… as soon as you're mobile, we are hitting the malls and doing some serious shopping, cause it has obviously been too long for you. This is your first real date in six months, and it has to be special! Now, we've already taken care of what Ron is wearing, but you still have to decide, and we only have a couple hours till he gets here."

"A couple hours? I mean, I can get ready in less…"

"But we still have your hair to do, and then, take a look at those nails. I mean, look at those things, trimmed down like that. I don't know who was looking after them for you, but they sure didn't do that good of a job. Oh, and we still have shoes to pick out as well, and your make-up, and…"

Kim sat up quickly, grabbing Monique's hands and stopping them from fluttering about anymore. "All right… hair, yes, make-up, maybe a little, and let's not worry about the nails and shoes tonight. I don't exactly have the endurance I used to, and it wouldn't be good if I passed out from exhaustion before dinner even starts."

Monique seemed to consider this, smiling slightly. "Okay, we have a deal. Now, tell me, which one do you think you should wear tonight. I'm thinking this one, but this one would definitely…"

"This one!"

Monique blinked, her smile widening. "Isn't this the one that you wore when…"

"Yup!"

Monique picked it up off the bed, smiling brightly. "There's the Kim I know! You are so gonna knock Ron's socks off with this!"

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"Tell me again why we are here?"

Tara just smiled, sipping at the sauce before returning to stirring it. "Because Ron needs a ride to the hospital so he can bring Kim dinner for their date, and I volunteered us."

Bonnie gave her a sideways look, stirring the pasta in the pot. "No, that's not what I meant. I mean, why are we stuck in the kitchen doing the cooking right now?"

"Cause Ron is getting ready, and we are already running a bit behind as it is. Besides, what does it hurt? You're only stirring the pasta."

"Because I really don't like cooking. I always seem to mess it up somehow."

Tara laughed. "Its just pasta. By the way, is it ready yet?"

Bonnie scooped a bit out with the ladle, and grabbing a strand of pasta, promptly throwing it at the cupboard door, where it stuck. "Yup, it's ready."

Tara stared at her, her mouth hanging open slightly. "What… I mean, why would you…"

Bonnie just shrugged. "I saw my father do that. If it sticks, it's ready."

Tara wanted to reply to that, but a voice behind her interrupted.

"So ladies… how do I look?"

Tara and Bonnie turned, smiles lighting their faces when they saw him. After several attempts at choosing something himself, they, and Monique, had gone through his closet for him, and found the black tux he had gotten a couple years before from 'Janitor' Joe. He looked very sharp, though it seemed just the littlest bit tight on him.

"You know, I'm not sure this fits as well as it used to. I mean, the legs are a little high. I think I've grown a bit in the last…"

"Ron, you look fine. Better than fine! Kim is in for a big surprise tonight! Just… one thing." Bonnie stepped over to him quickly, undoing the knot he had made in the tie, quickly doing it up properly, and stepping back to assess her work. "Much better!"

Ron smiled, brushing his hands down the jacket. "Thanks for the help ladies, but I guess we should get going. The Ronman has to work his magic, and it wouldn't look good to be late."

"Just finishing up here." Tara was just finishing setting the pasta on plates, and began ladling the sauce on. "Does Kim like parmesan cheese?"

"Kim's never cared for it, but make sure to add a lot to mine."

"So, no parmesan on either one then."

Ron blinked. "Umm… I thought…"

"If Kim doesn't care for it, you don't need it on your breath, especially… after dinner."

Ron stood there a moment, before realization set in. "Ahhh… good thinking." Ron was now smiling broadly. "Shall we get going then?"

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Ron waited by the elevator, holding both plates in his hands. Bonnie and Tara quickly came up to him, smiling. He eyed them curiously. "Okay… what's going on?"

Bonnie just shrugged, and Tara giggled a bit before responding. "Oh, nothing. Here, let us carry those for you."

Ron's eyes narrowed slightly, knowing something was up, but handed them the plates anyways. When the doors opened, they all stepped inside, and made the quick trip to Kim's room. The girls followed behind him, and he could feel their smiles at his back. Putting on his best smile, he pushed open the door to Kim's room.

His jaw promptly hit the floor.

His eyes trailed over Kim, as he took in the little black dress from the Middleton Days festival, and quickly noted that either someone had shortened the dress, or Kim had grown without him noticing, because it seemed to be riding just a little higher up the thighs than he had last seen it. His gaze trailed upwards, noting the small necklace he had gotten her for her birthday. Pausing briefly, he noted her neck was bare, and his eyes traveled up again. Her hair was up, in a style similar to what she had worn to the prom, but with a twist to it he had never seen before. Her eyes sparkled as she smiled at him, and Ron felt ready to pass out, his mind having stopped working some time ago.

"Well, I think we did our jobs well, didn't we girls?"

Bonnie and Tara pushed past Ron, as he remained in the doorway, and put the plates down on a nearby table. Monique meanwhile leaned Kim back against the bed, her legs shaking from the strain, but refusing to give up herself. The three teens just smiled at their handiwork. Finally, when neither of them had moved, Monique got bored.

"All right, let's get out of here. When these two unfreeze, I so don't want to be here when the clothes start flying off."

Both Kim and Ron turned to her quickly, Kim blushing brightly. "MONIQUE!"

"Hey, what do you know? They are still alive."

Monique, Bonnie, and Tara quickly left, shutting the door behind them, and Kim took the opportunity to shift higher on the bed, making sure to cross her legs in the short skirt.

Ron slowly entered, his eyes traveling up and down her, and Kim began to feel a bit self-conscious. "I know, I know. I'm too thin now, and I'm all bony, and this dress doesn't…"

Ron gently placed a finger on her lips, smiling brightly. "Kim… I don't think I've ever seen you so beautiful before in my whole life!"

Kim smiled, and trailed a hand up and down Ron's arm, noting how well the muscles stood out under her fingers with the shirt and jacket just a little tight on him. "And you have become even more of a charmer, haven't you?"

She leaned upward, meeting Ron's lips gently, as if savoring the taste of them. Shyly, she pulled away, noting the very goofy grin on his face, his eyes lost in a miasma of sensation, and she giggled.

This seemed to snap Ron out of it, and he smiled broadly. "Perhaps we should eat now, before dinner gets any colder."

With a flourish, and a brief stumble, Ron went to the table holding their food, and promptly brought it over to her. Kim slid the hospital table over her, and after Ron slipped the plates on top, got into the bed beside her, scrunching up close. He lifted the lid off the plates, and Kim felt almost like moaning as the steam carried the aroma to her.

"Oh… wow! This smells so good. I can't believe how good this smells right now."

Ron just laughed. "Sure does, especially since your nose hasn't met anything like this in the last six months. And that liquid hospital diet doesn't stand a chance compared to my Pasta Kimberly!"

Kim reached for a fork quickly, twirling the pasta, and bringing it quickly to her mouth. When it connected to her tongue, her eyes almost rolled up into the back of her head, and she moaned appreciatively. "Real food…"

Ron just laughed. "Maybe I should do this every day."

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Kim pushed back the table, her plate still half full, and sighed. "Oh… I can't believe I'm full, yet I still want to keep eating."

Ron wrapped his left arm around her shoulders, smiling brightly. "Your stomach doesn't remember the last time it had it so good. It'll take time to get back into the swing of things."

Kim grinned, and lay back a bit. She held one hand over her stomach, and groaned. "I guess so." She paused, looking over at Ron. "Umm… would you mind if I slipped into something more comfortable?"

Ron eyes lit up, and she playfully smacked him, laughing. "Not like that! I mean, this dress is a little tight, and I don't want to feel so… restricted."

Ron nodded, and moved over to where her clothes were, picking through them and holding them up to get her approval. When she had finally selected a t-shirt and cargos, Ron helped her to the bathroom, smiling when he noticed she was only using him as a support, and not a crutch. She was walking almost entirely on her own, and in just a week's time.

He waited outside the door, until he heard her call out to him, and he helped her back to the bed, climbing in on the other side, wrapping an arm around her.

"Oh, that feels much better. What would I ever do without you?"

Ron paused a moment, as if mulling that over. "Well, I suppose you'd still be eating hospital food. And of course, snuggling would be confined to Pandaroo."

Kim laughed again, and smiled as she looked deeply into his eyes. Slowly, she leaned in to meet him, and their lips met again, though with much more passion than earlier that night. Their lips began to battle, fighting each other to attain dominance, and Kim quickly won, almost nibbling lightly at Ron's bottom lip. Quickly, the tongues joined in, dueling in each other's mouths as Ron slowly sank towards Kim.

Her arms wrapped around him, one slowly tracing up and down his back, while the other moved behind his head, as if to pull him deeper into her. She sighed contentedly as he pulled away slightly, only to return those lips to the nape of her neck, suckling gently as he worked his way along the right side. She arched up beneath him, and she felt his hands moving along her body.

When he got to her side, the t-shirt exposing her stomach slightly, she pulled away, and he looked up quickly. "Did I…"

"No, no, it wasn't you," she quickly assured him. "I just… I mean…"

Ron looked down quickly, noting the scar along her side, still visible, even in the low light. "You mean this?"

Kim looked slightly embarrassed, as his finger traced along its length. "I just… it isn't exactly…"

Ron leaned down, kissing it gently, and then again, before looking back up at Kim. "Kim, it's a part of you… and you are beautiful. Nothing will ever change that!"

"But it's not exactly…"

Ron leaned up, silencing her with a kiss. "I wouldn't care if it was a hundred times bigger. It isn't important." He leaned back down, dropping gentle kisses up and down her stomach and side, including the scar, and Kim lay back down, sighing contentedly. She closed her eyes, allowing the sensations to wash over her.

When he stopped, she opened her eyes, staring vacantly down at him. He wasn't looking at her, but at her bare stomach, and she wondered what could be so fascinating, since he had already ruled out the scar. That was when she noticed the almost evil gleam in his eye, as he eyed her, and realization struck her quickly.

"You better not be…"

Ron quickly brought his lips down to her bare stomach, blowing with all his might. Kim squealed, trying to push his head away from her stomach, and succeeded after a moment, laughing the entire time.

Ron rolled off the bed, getting to his feet just in time to catch a pillow in the face, and he fell back to the floor with a thud, laughing loudly the entire time. When he finally removed the pillow, he looked up into Kim's eyes, and noted her hands at her waist as she glared down at him, obviously trying very hard to look imposing despite chuckling every now and then.

"Just what do you think you were doing?"

Ron chuckled again, slowly rising to his feet. "I'm sorry, KP. I resisted the feet for so long, and when I saw your belly there… all exposed like that… I just couldn't resist!"

Kim smacked him with another pillow, before grabbing him and pulling him back into the bed. "You know I'm going to get you back for that one someday soon, don't you?"

"I think I can live with that."

Kim grabbed him by the front of the shirt, and their lips met again. She felt his hands moving behind her, and pulled him closer. He returned his attention to her neck, nibbling along the skin, and she knew she'd have a hickey there in the morning. In retaliation, she grabbed his earlobe gently between her teeth, suckling on it lightly.

Ron's hands traced their way up her back, sliding up and down. He froze for a moment, and began lightly patting her back, as if searching for something. Slowly, he pulled away for a moment, meeting her eyes. "KP… I couldn't… I mean, aren't you wearing…"

"A bra?" She smiled seductively at him, noting a touch of fear and anticipation in his expression. "I decided I didn't need one… not tonight."

Ron eyes went wide, and Kim quickly silenced any more questions with a kiss.

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Author's Notes - You know, everyone has been doing tributes to the LBD, so I thought I would do one of my own. Hadn't planned on it, but it works with the chapter I had planned anyways.


	10. Chapter 10

I don't own, Disney does. I will say this again… What She Can't Say, by The Wise Duck… it is a must read story, seriously!

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Recovery – Chapter 10

"You really should take a rest you know."

"Just a couple more runs, and then I'll take a break. I'm good for a couple more, Amy." Kim took a breath, supporting herself with the bars on either side of her, then started walking across the platform, her hands gravitating just inches from the bars as she made her way across. About halfway, she stumbled slightly, and the young nurse trailing beside her reached over to steady her. Kim smiled wanly at her, and took the young woman's arm, making her way to the chairs at the side of the room. She sank down, breathing heavily, her muscles aching, but pleased with herself.

"So, how's my favorite girl doing?" The two women looked over at the door, smiling as Ron walked in, a Beuno Nacho bag in his hand.

"I'm doing just fine, but your girlfriend here keeps pushing herself too hard." Amy just chuckled, leaving the two teens alone.

"You up for a bit of snackage? The docs cleared you for it."

"And you brought me Beuno Nacho?" He wafted the bag under her nose, and she almost moaned as the aromas reached her. "Well, I guess a little wouldn't hurt. But I do need to make sure I eat healthy until I'm back on my feet properly."

"So Amy, when's Kim going to get out of here? I'm sure that natural Kimness of hers must be driving everyone insane, being cooped up in here." He laughed as he avoided a swat from Kim, though she did grab the bag from him.

Amy just looked up from her pad, smiling. "We'll probably be kicking her out of here in a couple days, most likely Wednesday night. Of course, she'll still be coming to visit on occasion, but at least we can get rid of her for a little while."

Kim just looked between the two of them, trying hard to look offended. "Well, I didn't know I was such a pest. Maybe I should just get out of your hair, and leave you two alone."

Ron just grinned, stepping over to the young physiotherapist. "You heard the lady. Amy, will you run away with me? We would make such beautiful music together!"

Amy took his hand, glancing over at Kim. "I would if I could Hon, but I'm sure my husband would object. Besides, I don't think she's quite ready to give up on you just yet."

Ron felt arms wrap around his shoulders from behind, as Kim draped herself over him. "Darn right I'm not giving up on this one. This one's a keeper!"

Ron reached up, grabbing her arms wrapped around him, and walked back to the chairs. Kim pointed over to the small bed though, and after grabbing the Bueno Nacho bag, made his way over to it, plopping her down.

Kim just sighed. "Man, my legs are killing me right now. I just want to stretch out for a moment."

Ron shifted down a bit, smiling. "Turn over. You eat, and let the magic fingers of Doctor Stoppable help you right out."

Kim giggled slightly, complying quickly. Ron rubbed his hands together almost gleefully. The shorts she was wearing allowed easy access, and he quickly set to work, massaging her legs softly at first, then with greater intensity.

Kim moaned, closing her eyes for a moment. "You've gotten better at this."

Ron just grinned, working up her calf. "I've had a bit of practice. Bonnie was always…"

Kim sat up quickly, glaring at Ron. "Bonnie? Ron…"

"Kim, it's not… I mean… I did this for you too a couple times, before we were dating, and…"

"I'm sorry Ron." Kim lay back down, taking a breath. "I know it's nothing, and I know I talked with Bonnie, but I just… I know she's your friend, but it seems like only last week for me that she was sniping at me for my captaincy and putting you down." Kim opened the bag, pulling out the chimerito. "Everything is so different, with you and Bonnie and Tara… I'm just not sure of everything just yet I guess."

"Hey, you're entitled. It's not exactly the best sitch, but you know I'm always here for you."

"I know." Kim took a bite, savouring the cheese and beef, glad for some real food. She ate in silence as Ron worked her legs, her moaning on occasion, though Ron couldn't tell if that was his work or the food.

When she finished, she sat up, glancing over at Ron. "There was something I wanted to talk to you about."

"Sure KP, what's on your mind?"

"Well, I was looking at the college stuff mom brought over, and I realized we never talked about it. I mean, I know Monique's going to New York to study fashion, and Tara's going to Middleton for law enforcement, still can't believe that, and Bonnie's going to Upperton for psychology, but we've never talked about what you and I were going to do."

Ron's smile faded, and he looked away slightly. "I didn't exactly want to pressure you or anything. I mean, I didn't want you to go somewhere just to be near me. I mean, I wanted… that is…"

Kim placed a hand in his, smiling. "Ron, it's all right. So, where are you going?"

"I got accepted to the business program at Middleton College."

Kim blinked, staring at him, then blinked again. "Business? With… math?"

Ron just chuckled, looking up at her. "Yeah, I know, crazy huh? But, I figured, if I want to open a restaurant, I should learn what I'm doing. Besides, Middleton has a great culinary program as well. I… also signed up for a Japanese language course at Upperton, after checking that it wouldn't conflict. Just… something I wanted to do."

"Why wouldn't you tell me? That's great!"

"I didn't want what I was doing to affect where you wanted to go. I mean, there's so many things you could do, and I didn't want to hold you back at some nearby school just to be with me."

"How about you just let me decide what I want and don't want. Besides, I'm not even sure what I want to do yet. I thought I'd have senior year to decide, but now… the decision is kind of right in my lap, and I don't know what I want to do. I mean, I have acceptance letters from several schools already, some I never even considered before, all without even applying." Kim leaned over, kissing him gently. "But, at least now, I know where you'll be."

"Should I leave you two alone, or do you think your mother might get mad at me?"

Kim and Ron chuckled, and Kim rose to her feet. "I'm good to go again, if you are?"

Ron watched as Kim pushed herself for the next hour, adding encouragement when needed, and kisses on occasion.

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The last couple days seemed to drag for Kim, knowing how close she was to being released. Now she sat on the edge of the bed, her stuff packed, as she waited for her mother to get off shift. The sun was already setting when her mother finally walked through the door.

Andrea Possible just smiled as she saw her daughter, practically bouncing with impatience to get out of there. "You have everything packed?"

"Yes, I do. Double-checked everything. Can we go home now?"

Andrea chuckled softly, remembering that this was Kim lookedwhen she was eight, that giddiness at knowing she was going to be getting out, and only a single word was needed before she bolted out the door. "Just let me get a wheelchair, and we can go."

"Moooommm, I don't need a chair. I can walk out of here just fine."

"I know that dear, but you've got a lot of stuff sitting here, and I know you and I aren't going to be getting it all out of here ourselves."

Kim looked sheepishly at the bags around her and grinned. "Yeah, that might be a good idea after all."

"Hey, just thought I'd check on my best patient before she took off." Amy stuck her head in the doorway, smiling broadly. "Just wanted to say goodbye, at least till you came in next week for your check-up."

"Hey Amy, thanks for stopping by. Think you could help Kimmie and I carry all this down? I'm just going to get a wheelchair to help us cart it all out."

"Already done." Amy stepped forward, pushing a wheelchair in front of her, bringing it right up to the bed. "Figured you'd have a lot to take home with you."

They quickly loaded up the wheelchair, with Andrea and Amy carrying a few bags as well, andmade their way out of the hospital. They quickly loaded up the car, throwing most of it into the back, though Kim kept her school stuff in the front seat with her.

When they finished, Kim gave a quick hug to the woman who had been helping over the last week. "Thanks for everything Amy. I don't think I could have done this without your help."

"Kiddo, it was all you. I was just there to tell you what to work on next. Now, make sure you don't push yourself too hard. I know how you can get."

Kim smiled a bit deviously. "Yeah, I promise."

Andrea also gave the woman a brief hug, before hopping into the car. The entire drive back, Kim kept watching out the windows, noticing a number of the small, subtle changes in the town as they passed by. It was the first time she had been out since the accident, except for the brief visit to the cemetery with Ron, but she hadn't exactly been interested in her surroundings then.

It was amazing what seemed to change in such a short time. The new roof on the Murphy's house, the dollar store on Market Street was now a pet store, the new playground equipment in the park as they drove by. Most everything was the same, but it was those little details in how everything looked that truly showed her that quite some time had passed.

As they pulled up into the driveway, Kim noted the door was slightly different from what she remembered, and wondered just what contraption the Tweebs had dreamed up that required a new door. Her father opened the door as she was getting out, moving quickly to pull her into a hug. When they parted, he grabbed her book bag for her, as well as a couple others from the back, and all three headed in the front door. What Kim saw when she walked in left her in awe.

A large banner, welcoming her home, hung across the living room. Balloons and streamers hung from everything. It reminded her of her birthday, those many months ago. Especially as her friends all piled out to great her.

As Monique pulled her into a hug, Kim just groaned. "You guys didn't have to go to all this trouble you know."

"Girl, it was no trouble at all." She grabbed a party hat from the table, putting it promptly on Kim's head, and Kim noticed everyone was wearing them. "Besides, you better get used to this, because I have a feeling we're going to be doing this all again when you come to school on Friday."

Kim glanced up at her parents, confused. "Friday… but I thought I was going back tomorrow?"

Her father just pushed her ahead into the kitchen, and she saw Ron just taking a couple of things out of the oven. "We figured you could use an extra day to get settled back in."

Kim took a seat at the table, surprised when the Tweebs came over to hug her again as they had done in the hospital, without a single word of complaint. "Thank you guys, everyone. I don't know what to say."

Bonnie stepped forward, dropping an envelop on the table. "Just say thank you. Especially after we hit the spa tomorrow."

Kim looked down at the envelop, before turning to look back at Bonnie. "Spa? But why…"

"Oh please. There is no way you are going to go back to school without at least taking care of a few things. I mean, seriously, with the way your pores are right now… I'd almost be embarrassed. I do have an image to maintain you know, and I can't be seen with you looking like that, now can I?"

Bonnie, who had been maintaining a serious expression, gave Kim a half grin, and Kim broke out laughing. "I guess I can't argue with that!"

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Kim practically dragged herself up to her room after the guests had all left, tired beyond words. She quickly changed, throwing on one of Ron's old jerseys that he kept there, to sleep in, and lay back on the bed. She sank right in, and groaned at just how comfortable it felt compared to the hard hospital bed she had been in for so long. Her arms wrapped around one of her pillows, squeezing it tightly as she glanced around the room, taking everything in. It was all as she left it, and she felt suddenly as if a weight had lifted from her shoulders.

Despite the fact that the sheets and pillowswere most likelyfresh and new, she drew in the scent of them, smiling. She closed her eyes, sinking into the warm embrace of the mattress and blankets, and slowly closed her eyes.

_It's good to be home!_

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Author's Notes – I'm drawing a complete blank on what Kim would be interested in studying in college for my on-going series. For months, I could never come up with something she would want to study. All the others came easily to me, but not Kim.

So, I've decided to make this an open poll, and let the readers decide. YOU will get to decide what Kim wants to do and study in my fanfiction series. This will affect the entire on-going storyline. The winning response will be announced in chapter 11 of Recovery.

To vote, go to RonStoppable dot net (the link to the poll is in my profile) and make your vote count!


	11. Chapter 11

I don't own, Disney does. Be sure to check out Bleeding Out, by Mattk, and the entire Blood Bond storyline! He's also just started the sequel to Bleeding Out, called Bleeding Through, so check that out as well. You won't regret it!

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Recovery – Chapter 11

Kim awoke slowly, luxuriating in the feel of the blankets, wrapping them tightly around herself and snuggling deeper to try and fight off the impending awakening. Her body insisted on staying there, cocooned within the warm embrace, but that logical part of her mind was telling her it was time to get up and face the day. After a moment's struggle, the logical part of her won out, and she opened her eyes to confront the day.

She gazed over at the clock, noting she had slept most of the morning away, the afternoon swiftly approaching, and stretched to loosen herself up for the day ahead. She rose slowly, taking her time, and began to take care of her morning rituals. Her stomach rumbled as she brushed her teeth, and she knew just what she needed now.

The stairs seemed to take forever, as she made her way to the kitchen. They had never been an issue for her before, but she felt them greatly now. It would be some time before she'd be leaping down the stairs as she had before, and she hated how long it was taking to get better, even knowing she was recovering faster than expected.

The house was quiet, something she hadn't been all that familiar with in some time. Her parents were at work, her brothers at school; she had the house to herself. After the last couple of weeks, it felt strange to be alone. Except for the few moments she had been alone when she had first woken up, she had not been alone for any length of time. Whether it was her family or her friends or a nurse taking readings, she'd had someone by her side almost constantly from the time she awoke in the morning to the time she went to sleep. It was almost unnerving not to hear anything now. As she came to the living room, she turned on the television, just to put some noise on in the background.

She made her way to the fridge, wondering what she would grab. There were plenty of leftovers, Ron had cooked up a storm the night before, preparing enough for twice as many people. She prepared a small plate, her appetite not fully back to normal after so long on a simple liquid diet, and put it in the microwave. She took a moment to sit, breathing steadily, as the food reheated, glad the microwave didn't bother her as much as the stove or oven did… usually anyways.

The microwave beeped, causing Kim to jump slightly. Laughing to herself, she grabbed her plate out, and made her way to the living room. Setting it down on the table, she picked at the food slowly, taking her time. Stretching out on the couch, she flipped through the channels briefly before settling on a music station. She lay back, closing her eyes, allowing the music to flow over her.

Her mind drifted over everything that had happened the last 6 months, and how everything seemed to have changed. Ron, Bonnie, Tara, Shego, Monkey Fist, the list seemed endless. Everyone was being supportive, trying to help her through it all, but it was still a bit of an overload. Now, alone, she had a chance to process some of it beyond just a cursory examination.

Ron seemed the same, for the most part. He still loved her just as much as she loved him, maybe even more so. But he wouldn't talk much about what he had been through, other than the events. The emotions, he kept to himself. She knew Ron had sat by her bedside for days at a time, and always stayed with her on their date nights when a mission didn't come up, but he never talked about that, focusing strictly on the future. She knew how much he had to have been hurting, simply from what Monique and Bonnie had told her. He was trying so hard to put it behind him, but she could see hints of what he had been through when he didn't think she was looking. The pain in his eyes, when something would remind him, the slight twitch when someone would come towards her, even if it had been a doctor, or even her own family. She hadn't noticed them at first, but she was picking them up more and more, the way he seemed to almost want to jump to her protection. He kept all of it to himself though, and never acted. And he didn't try to stop her, never trying to block her way when she pushed herself on. He was always just beside her, ready to catch her if she fell, but never trying to take over, always encouraging. She knew he wanted to, fighting the urge constantly, and she knew she needed to thank him for that, because this was something she needed to do.

Bonnie… that was a different thing altogether. She had never expected her rival to change as much as she had. Sure, she still had that sarcastic streak, and from what Monique mentioned, still ruled with an iron thumb at times, especially with the prom committee. But, when she was hurt, she stepped aside as cheerleading captain, not giving it a second thought. Tara had taken the reins, and though Bonnie was still there, sitting on the sidelines giving advice, she hadn't made a single mention of taking back the captaincy from Tara now that her arm was better. And when they had talked, Bonnie hadn't tried to hide anything, telling her straight out how she felt, and why. She seemed a completely different person, yet the same at the same time.

Her parents, Monique, Tara, the Tweebs, all of them seemed to be trying so hard to be as she remembered them, to put the last few months behind them, but she could see it. The way the Tweebs seemed to walk on eggshells around her, not making a single comment when she had kissed Ron in the kitchen during the party last night. The way her dad didn't even blink at the same action. Everything seemed different, and yet it wasn't.

_And what about myself?_

Six months was a long time, she knew that. But it wasn't just the time though that made it strange. School could be caught up on, she could get back into shape, none of those troubled her greatly. Even not fully knowing what she was going to do after high school didn't bother her too much. No, it was the little things, like jumping at the microwave beeping when she didn't expect it, like the nightmares…

She knew she should have expected them, it would be crazy not to have them after what she had been through. HE was there, holding her by the throat, strangling her. She could feel the grip tighten, as the air refused to enter her lungs, no matter how hard she tried, his laughing face taunting her, making her feel small as her world grew dark. For the most part, she was able to hide them, figuring on dealing with them herself. She knew that wasn't the best way, but she didn't want to worry anyone else; they were troubled enough as it was. If Ron knew how much she feared that dream…

So, she worked extra hard. If she was too tired at the end of the day to do anything other than sleep, they didn't trouble her so much. She knew she should have talked to the counselor at the hospital about it, and maybe she still would, but she had to get past this initial period, if just to help put everyone else at ease. Once things were more back to normal, if they were still plaguing her, then she would deal with it. But for now, it was best for everyone if she tried to keep it to herself… for now.

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Kim heard the door open as she was finishing her English paper, smiling brightly when she saw Ron standing there. She noted quickly that Monique, Bonnie, and Tara were standing right behind him. She put her laptop on the table in front of her, pushing the half-empty plate to the side.

"What's everyone doing here?"

Ron just leaned down over the couch, capturing her lips with his briefly. "Bonnie mentioned it yesterday. The girls are taking you out to the spa to be pampered."

Kim just smiled and shook her head. "I thought you were kidding about that. I really don't think I…"

"No excuses girl, you are coming with us! I know for a fact you are way ahead on the schoolwork at this point, and you need some proper girl time. Sides, you know how expensive this all is? You are not bailing now!"

"No, really, I still have two English papers to write, and a Physics project to finish up…"

Bonnie and Tara just moved to either side of her, blocking her escape routes. "We're not taking no for an answer Kim."

Kim glanced between her friends, before sighing gently. She really did need some down time from all the work, just as Monique had said almost a week before, during her date with Ron. Besides, she knew she had caught up enough to make Mr. Barkin happy when she went into school the next day. "All right, I'll go peacefully. But there is no way you are talking me into any kind of mud bath."

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"Okay, this was definitely a good idea." Kim smiled, glancing over briefly at the three teens beside her. "Of course, I still don't understand just why a seaweed wrap is so big."

Bonnie just shook her head lightly, her eyes already covered. "K, you won't believe how good you'll feel after this is done. This totally revitalizes your entire body, and is amazing on the skin. Trust me on this, I do this all the time."

"So, Kim…" Kim glanced over at Tara, just as the seaweed wrap cover was brought over her eyes. "Ron mentioned you hadn't decided what you wanted to do yet after high school. I know you have a few scholarships already, even if you have to catch up on schoolwork and take the SATs. Any idea where you want to go yet?"

Kim sighed lightly, closing her eyes as her own seaweed wrap was completed, the final wrap going over her eyes. "I've thought about it. I know Ron's going to Middleton, and he doesn't want me throwing everything away to be near him. As he put it, 'I'm only taking a two year course, and then I can come live wherever you are going to school'. I know he's worried about the separation of going to a different school, and I feel the same way. So, I figured… we could share a place, somewhere on the edge of town or something, while I'm going to Upperton University. That way, we can be together, and still take the programs we want to take."

Bonnie just grinned. "So, you'll be joining me as a Puma then? Should make things interesting. What are you going to take?"

"I figured I'd focus on the international relations field, maybe pick up a few language courses. Of course, I thought I'd take a few pre-med courses as well if I'm able to, you know, round out everything if I change my mind later, just to get my foot in the door."

"Sounds like you're planning on a lot there, with a pretty heavy course load."

Kim just shrugged as best she could, even though she knew none of the others could see it. "Not really. I'm not too sure what I really want to do, but I figured they'd be able to help with missions, and it's worth a try. If nothing else, it should give me some things I'll need later on in life, when I decide what I want to do."

"Girls, girls, this is so not the time for this." Monique's voice was loud, and cut off all conversation quickly. "This is our down-time, a chance to relax, not to worry about the future. There is only one topic that should be open right now, and that's guys! Have you seen that new transfer student Austin? He is THTB!"

They all sat there a second, before Tara spoke up. "THTB?"

"I think she means 'too hot to believe'."

"You got that right girl, he is hot! Have you seen him at the gym? He is ripped in ALL the right places."

Bonnie just sighed. "I wouldn't waste your time, Monique."

"Why not? He looking someone else's way?"

"Kinda. He's… umm… gay."

Silence permeated the room, before Monique spoke up. "Gay? You sure?"

"Pretty sure, he has a boyfriend in Denver that he's going to visit on the weekend."

Monique groaned. "Damn, what a waste. At least I found out now, before I made a fool out of myself. So, who else out there is hot and single?"

Tara's voice was barely a whisper compared to Monique. "Umm… none of us are single. Why would we…"

"Oh come on, you're not married, and there's nothing wrong with looking. So come on, if you weren't seeing your significant others, who'd you be looking at? Kim? Bonnie? Someone?"

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Kim waved as Bonnie pulled away, feeling better than she had in some time. Bonnie was right, that seaweed wrap felt wonderful afterwards. Getting a full manicure and pedicure hadn't hurt either, nor the full-body massage at the end of it all. Kim knew she'd sleep well that night.

Her mother smiled up from the couch as she came in. "I put your dinner in the microwave for you. I figured you'd be out for a while."

"Thanks mom!"

She walked into the kitchen, hitting the button on the microwave, and went to pour herself a drink. It had been good just to hang out like that, chatting and gossiping. Bonnie tossing in a vision or two every so often was still a bit strange, but it had been fun, a great distraction. She only hoped her first day back to school would feel as good as this had.

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Author's Notes – Thanks to everyone who voted regarding Kim and her studies! Be sure to check my profile for the website to the Fannie Awards, the annual Kim Possible fan fiction awards. Make your selections for such awards as Best Writer and Best Story, and a host of others. Hosted by mattb3671 and myself, with the website designed and run by Commander Argus, it's sure to be an amazing thing. Show your support, vote today!


	12. Chapter 12

I don't own, Disney does. I was going to continue alternating, but the other stories wouldn't come to me. So, I'm going to keep on this one until I feel the others coming to me, and then do the same with them. Be sure to check out Hobnob-rev's Kim Possible : Mind, Body, and Soul, a dark story but amazingly well done. It is Kigo though, just to warn some people, but that doesn't detract from just how good the story is.

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Recovery – Chapter 12

"Hey KP, you ready to go?"

Kim grabbed her bag, groaning at the effort of carrying it, and Ron quickly scooped it off her shoulder. "You know, I can carry it myself you know."

"Kim, you have every single book in here, plus the laptop, and a few binders. I doubt I can carry it for very long."

Kim chuckled quietly, smiling up at Ron. He had put an inch or two on her, she could see that clearly enough, so much so that she had to look up at him just a bit to catch his eyes. It was a little strange, he had always been the same size or smaller when they were growing up.

They stepped out the door, and Ron quickly moved to the passenger door to open it for her. "Ron…"

"I'm just being a gentleman here, nothing to complain about. Heck, I'll even let you carry your own bag into school if you're going to keep complaining about it." He kept the goofy grin on his face the whole time, and Kim knew he would. She knew he was only trying to make things easier on her, and just settled down into the seat, trying to shift her legs so that the bag didn't squish them. "Your mom let you have the station wagon?"

Ron hopped into the driver's seat, throwing on his seatbelt. "Just for today and next week. She figured it would be easier to just give in for a set amount of time than to hear me complain and beg. Besides, by then, we can take my scooter to school, the weather should have cleared by then."

The drive was brief, and Kim just sat back, wondering how school would go that day. A million scenarios went through her mind as to what would happen, some filling her with an almost dread, but she knew she could face whatever happened.

When Ron stopped the car, she leaned over, taking his lips with hers. When she pulled away, his eyes seemed just a little bit hazy. "Wow… can we get a booyah on that!"

Kim giggled slightly, getting out of the car and struggling to get the bag over her shoulder. Ron just walked beside her, watching her, waiting if she struggled at all, but he didn't ask for the bag again. As they got closer to the school doors, people waved, greeting her as they normally would. Many said welcome back, though there were some that wouldn't look at her. She wondered why some would react that way, but was quickly torn from her musing when a pair of arms wrapped around her.

"AHHhhh… Monique, don't DO that!"

Monique just pulled back slightly, keeping her arms on Kim's shoulders. "Sorry girl, but I am just so psyched to have you back here."

"Monique, we were hanging out just last night."

"I know, I know, but now the power balance is back in alignment. You wouldn't believe how bad these guys get at lunch, and it will be nice to have a little more estrogen back in the mix, to help keep the animals in line."

Kim just shook her head. "They aren't that bad… well, maybe Ron and Felix… and Brick, but you can't tell me Josh is all that bad."

Monique just stared her in the eye, her expression serious. "He's been corrupted! He won the eating contest just last week. If it kept up, I thought we'd lose Tara to the dark side as well. You should have seen her, eyeing the pizza…"

"We are not that bad!" Ron cut in, his plea falling on deaf ears as both girls looked over at him. He dropped his gaze slightly. "And we didn't corrupt Josh, he just… started taking part."

They stared at him a moment longer, before turning back to each other. "So, anyways, I just can't believe…"

"POSSIBLE! My office, NOW!"

Monique quickly let go, as every head in the hallway turned to see Barkin, hands on his hips, staring right at Kim. She gulped softly, giving one last, forlorn look over at Monique and Ron, before making her way down the hallway. Barkin held the door to his office open, and she walked in, taking her seat quickly.

Barkin sat down himself, after a moment, eyeing Kim as if he was appraising a side of meat. "I assume you have some things for me?"

"Yes sir. I've finished the work from first semester you gave me, but I'm still working on English, Physics, Geography, and Math."

Barkin's eyebrow shot up. "You've finished all of first semester?"

"Yes sir."

Barkin made a soft sound that she couldn't quite make out. "Very well then. I assume you have the laptop I provided you? I'll just download all the files and go over them today. For today, you'll be in the library, finishing whatever else you can. Starting next week, I'll be putting you through the various tests for your subjects, and I have managed to schedule you for your SATs on Friday. You still have a lot of work ahead of you, so no time to slack off now."

Kim's eyes were wide, her jaw working soundlessly. "SATs… next week? But… but I haven't had time to prepare…"

"You'll do fine Possible. Now, if you'll hand me your laptop, I can start grading your work, and you can get on with your day."

Kim handed him the laptop, and he quickly transferred the files, handing her back the laptop. She was still stunned when he rose from behind his desk. "You can get back to work now Ms. Possible. You still have plenty of hurdles to cross yet."

Kim turned to go, her mind awhirl. When she opened the door, Barkin's voice cut through to her. "And Ms. Possible… welcome back."

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Kim felt her eyes going heavy from staring at the screen so long. Her fingers cramping up, she stretched out, raising her arms over her head and just let out a small moan.

"Wow KP, I need to come to the library more often!"

Kim turned her head, not letting up on the stretch, and smiled. "Hey Ronnie… enjoying yourself over there?"

Ron stood locked in place, his eyes glued to her as she slowly lowered her arms, giving him just the littlest bit of a show. He was quickly shoved forward from behind, and he staggered forward. Bonnie and Tara quickly passed on either side of him.

"You guys can flirt later, I want to get to lunch, and I'm starving!"

Bonnie gave the barest hint of a wink to Kim, and she played along. "But my Ronnie-kins needs all the attention he can get." She bit her finger lightly, glancing up at Ron who could only stammer, as she smiled up at him seductively.

"I… ah… um…"

"Kim, you're giving the poor boy a heart attack. And quit egging her on Bonnie. Can we go eat, I'm hungry!"

"Sure Tara, just let me…"

"…this do?"

"Does what Ron?" She glanced up at Ron, but he was just staring wide-eyed past her. So were Bonnie and Tara, and Kim quickly turned her head. Her jaw quickly dropped to the floor.

"I told you not to play with that Ron! Oh… um… hi!"

All eyes were on the middle of the library, as four individuals who had not been there a moment ago were glancing sheepishly around the room. Kim could only blink as she took the figures in. It was them… Ron, Bonnie, Tara, and herself. But they seemed… older.

Ron was taller, even more than he was now, and his hair was just a bit longer than his usual mop. His mission clothes remained the same though. The Bonnie standing there wore the same mission outfit she had seen before, though this one covered her stomach like the other one hadn't. Her hair was longer, tapering just past her shoulder blades. Tara was dressed as she had seen before, though the gun at her hip, and the body armour over her chest were almost frightening to see. Her hair was cut short, coming only halfway down the neck. And the other Kim seemed dressed the same as she did, though again, like Bonnie, her stomach wasn't exposed.

They definitely looked like older versions of themselves. Everyone was just staring agape at them.

The older Kim just smiled, grabbing the bracelet from Ron. "I told you not to play with it. What button did you push?"

"The red one. You'd really think that Wade would learn NOT to put little red buttons on things I might get a hold of. These kind of things will happen!"

Older Tara just leaned between the two. "Do you guys think we can hurry up and get out of here? You know what Wade said about messing with the time stream."

Older Ron just grinned. "Oh come on, we already know this happened. It was Kim's first day back to school in high school, after she woke up. No big, we just mention… uh… right, no questions, can't damage the time stream, yada, yada, yada."

Older Bonnie kept glancing around, all while keeping her gaze on the younger Bonnie, who was slowly coming out of her shock. "Can't we tell them… you know, the big things? Just to keep them…"

Older Kim just turned to look at her, her face sorrowful. "We can't. It might change everything. Besides, do you want to lose… you know…"

Older Bonnie sighed, locking her gaze on younger Bonnie. "Fine… you're right. Sorry Bon, no sneak peeks. I know what you're trying to do, I tried it myself. I've also blocked Ron as well, so you won't get anything from him either."

Older Tara spoke up again. "But wouldn't that just create a parallel universe? I mean, the whole decision point thing…"

Older Kim continued playing with the device in her hands. "We don't know for sure it would create a new alternate reality, Wade couldn't be precise about that. Besides, what happens if something changes, and we get stuck in the new reality? We'd never get back to our own, and then there might be two of each of us in the new alternate reality."

Older Ron just shook his head. "Time travel… it's a cornucopia of disturbing concepts."

Kim stood up, approaching the four standing there. "Who are you? Who sent you?"

Older Ron just smiled. "Sorry Kimala, we can't give you any answers right now. You'll find out soon enough. Hey Ron-man… Wade get the scans yet?"

Ron looked up from the Kimmunicator, his eyes wide. "I just… I mean…"

Older Ron just laughed. "Don't worry, Wade will get some very interesting readings. You know, come to think of it, maybe that's why he put that red button on it, so I'd press it, we'd come here, and he'd get the readings he wanted in the past… man, he's sneaky!"

"We're ready to go Ron."

Older Ron stepped back with the group, giving a last wave to the group. "Gonna be an interesting ride guys. Wish we could give you the heads up, but that could damage everything. Just remember, no matter what happens, you are all friends and teammates. Never forget that, and take care of each other."

With a flash, the group disappeared, leaving everyone just the littlest bit stunned.

It was Tara who shook it off first. "So much for lunch!"

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"Have you got anything yet Wade?" It was the end of the day, and the events at lunch had left everyone stunned. Wade said he'd need most of the day to figure out just what he had seen and recorded, but she still checked in every so often through the day. Now, with the others all around, they wanted a few answers.

"I really don't know what I'm seeing here Kim. I mean… I think that they were you, but…"

"Well, what about this whole time travel thing. They sure looked older, and they mentioned not messing with the time stream…"

"Well, I did detect time cooties."

Kim just stared at the small screen. "Really?"

"No, there's no such thing as time cooties!"

Kim felt like responding, but her face scrunched in an expression of confusion. She noticed Wade shared the same look. "Okay… um… so, what can you tell us about them?"

"They were definitely you, not a clone or synthodrone, or anything like that. An analysis showed that they were most likely in their early 20s, but I did get some interference, most likely from the device itself, that hampered my scanning efforts. I couldn't get anything off the device itself though, it was shielded somehow, probably by me."

Ron leaned over Kim's shoulder, surprise etched on his features. "You shielded it… from yourself?"

"Most likely. They seemed pretty adamant about not contaminating the time line. Maybe I did it to prevent me from finding out anything too early. I still have a few things to test, maybe I'll have some answers later. Did Bonnie get anything from them?"

Bonnie just shook her head. "The other... me, she blocked me pretty good. I couldn't get anything off her, or Ron. I couldn't even get anything off where they were standing. I could try again..."

Wade just shook his head. "I doubt you'll get anything if you tried. They probably can block us that way too. I should have more for you later."

"Thanks Wade, keep us updated." Kim turned off the Kimmunicator, rubbing her temples. "This has been an… interesting day."

Tara just laughed. "You could say that again! I NEVER thought I would cut my hair like that!"

Josh just nuzzled in close to her. "Aww… I bet it looked cute on you."

Bonnie just groaned. "Please, that could not have been me. It looked like I had put on weight."

Felix sat there, looking incredulously between the assembled teens. "Future versions of yourselves pop into the library, drop vague hints about the future, and all you can talk about is your hairstyles and how fat you'll get?" After a glare from Bonnie for that last comment, he avoided looking her way. "I mean, why were they using a time travel device in the first place? What could be so important, especially if Wade was worried about damaging the time stream?"

Kim sighed, looking among her friends. "I don't know, and I don't know how we'll find out. I guess we'll just have to wait and see." Kim rose to her feet, wrapping an arm around Ron's shoulders. "All I know is this was definitely the most interesting first day of school I have EVER had!"

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Author's Notes – I know, I know, you all have a thousand different questions, and there is one simple answer… SPOILER! Sorry, but you'll just have to wait and see. After all, I said this was going to be one hell of a ride, didn't I!

Be sure to check my profile for the website to the Fannie Awards, the annual Kim Possible fan fiction awards. Make your selections for such awards as Best Writer and Best Story, and a host of others. Hosted by mattb3671 and myself, with the website designed and run by Commander Argus, it's sure to be an amazing thing. Show your support, vote today!


	13. Chapter 13

I don't own, Disney does. Wow, sorry for the delay folks, but it has been busy, and I've been trying to quit smoking (which is really messing me up), and nothing much has been flowing. Anyways, hopefully, I'll be back in stride now. Be sure to check out Our Place In the Food Chain, by Commander Argus. He took us on a wild ride in It Finally Happened, so be sure not to miss this new tale of his!

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Recovery – Chapter 13

"You still getting ready Kimmie?"

"I'll be down in just a minute Mom!" Kim turned back to the monitor, where Wade sat on the screen. "So you haven't been able to get anything yet on our mysterious duplicates who popped in today?"

Wade shrugged and took a sip of his soda. "Sorry Kim, nada. I figure I can run everything I've got through a series of tests, but that's going to take a very long time. But if that other Ron thought I'd get some interesting readings, there must be something there. I'll keep at it, but don't expect anything concrete for some time. Now, don't you and Ron have a… ugh… date?"

Kim smirked at the screen. "Ugh?"

Wade just raised an eyebrow as he looked at her. "Kim, I'm thirteen. And while I understand that there is no such things as cooties, and realize that I will eventually understand, for the time being I cannot fathom this fascination with dating, and kissing, and… UGH!"

Kim laughed as he visibly shivered on the screen. "I think you'll find out soon enough. And when you do, we're going to have a little discussion about what and where you have wired. Got it mister?"

Wade's eyes widened perceptibly, his face going pale. "Kim… I never… I wouldn't…"

"I'm just playing with you Wade. Now, I should get ready. I think I've been keeping Ron long enough."

"Talk to you later!"

The screen blinked off, and Kim rose to her feet just in time to catch her mother poking her head up the stairs. "You almost ready, dear? Ronald has been downstairs for about twenty minutes now, and he's trying very hard to dodge your father's questions."

"Just a sec Mom. I just have to throw on my dress." Kim ducked behind the partition, pulling her dress off the top and over her head after letting the bathrobe fall to the floor. She stepped out, and checked her hair briefly in the mirror.

"Kimberly, don't you think you're forgetting something?"

Kim looked over at her mother, before checking herself out in the mirror. "I don't think so…"

Andrea Possible raised an eyebrow as she looked at her daughter. "While I'm sure your father wouldn't notice, I was thinking of something in the support department. Should we have another talk about that?"

Kim's face reddened, as she turned away quickly. "I… I mean… I don't…"

Andrea chuckled softly. "I understand how it is and how you feel. Just don't rush into something you might not be ready for." Noting her daughter refusing to even glance her way, she changed the subject quickly. "How was your first day back to school? We never had a chance to talk about that."

"It went all right. Didn't get much of a chance to talk to too many people. Got caught up on some more work while Mr. Barkin goes over some things I already submitted, temporal duplicates popped in for a visit, SATs will be on Friday, I'm going to be helping…"

"What was that?"

"SATs?"

"No, before that."

Kim shrugged almost nonchalantly. "Temporal duplicates. Wade's checking it out, but since they didn't stick around, I don't know too much more until Wade finishes the analysis."

Andrea shook her head, as Kim brushed back a few stray hairs. "And how does it feel to be home?"

Kim paused a moment, before glancing over. "Feels good… though the Tweebs are still freaking me out a bit. They've been really quiet the last couple of days, and it's weird. I feel like something should be exploding or something."

Andrea gave a small, devious smile, which she hid from her daughter. "I'm sure they'll be back to normal in no time. They were worried about you, you know. They just don't want to bother you right now."

"I know, but it's… unusual. Just feels… wrong or something."

Andrea smiled, glancing back down the stairs. "You should probably get going. I don't know how much more grilling Ronald can take down there."

Kim's eyes widened, and she moved quickly, pausing only to give her mother a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks Mom, and don't worry. Ron and I won't rush into anything."

Andrea watched her daughter taking her time down the stairs, careful not to stumble, as she was still adjusting, an idea quickly forming in her mind… one that both her husband and twin sons would agree to whole-heartedly.

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Kim smiled broadly as they pulled into the parking lot at Wyoming's, and Ron quickly hopped out to get the door for her.

"Sorry I couldn't get us into Chez Pierre's again, he was already booked solid, and…"

Kim silenced him with a brief kiss. "Ron, this is just perfect."

Ron, after shaking off the kiss, promptly offered his arm, and the pair made their way to the restaurant. The place was already bustling, and looked almost packed, and Kim worried if they might not be too late to get a table. The small line waiting to get a table as they got to the front also didn't look so good.

"I'm sorry, but it's probably going to be a…"

"KIM… RON… OVER HERE!"

A dozen heads turned to the sound of the voice, to see Tara practically bouncing beside her table, waving her arms frantically. The greeter just groaned slightly, before leading the pair to the booth table, where Tara and Josh were just settling themselves into new seating arrangements beside each other. The two teens slid in quickly, and took the menus that were handed to them.

"You guys are so lucky we got stuck in a booth. We almost got here too late ourselves!"

Kim smiled brightly. "Thanks for letting us sit with you. I know you guys probably want to be alone."

Tara just waved her off, wrapping one arm around Josh's. "We have plenty of time to be alone, we don't mind a little company during dinner."

The server arrived quickly, and Kim and Ron ordered, Tara and Josh having done so already, and the four quickly slipped into small talk. Dinner was just being laid in front of them when the subject of sex came up.

"So you guys still haven't taken that last step?"

Kim blushed deeply, and Ron just rubbed the back of his neck, looking at the floor. Josh just chuckled, giving Tara a squeeze. "Don't bug them about it, they're waiting for the right time. Isn't that right?"

Kim looked up at them, her face cast downward. "It's not like we haven't… done stuff. We just…"

Josh just raised his hand. "You don't need to explain to us if you're not comfortable. Some people are just more comfortable talking about it than others. Let's just change the subject. There's this gallery in Denver that's interested in my stuff, and…"

The rest of dinner passed fairly easily, other than the looks Ron and Kim shared every so often.

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Ron pulled the car to a stop by the shore of Lake Middleton, taking note of a couple other cars parked nearby. He glanced over at Kim, smiling awkwardly, and she grinned in response. He leaned over, and his lips met hers. He started softly, his lips gently moving against hers, but slowly, the kisses became stronger, hungrier. His tongue reached out, brushing against her lips. At that moment, Kim pulled back, breathing heavily.

"Ron… I think we should talk for a moment."

Ron pulled back a little disappointed, but took a moment to catch his breath. "Sure KP, you know we can talk about anything."

"Ron… about what Tara was talking about… I know we haven't talked about… sex… since I woke up, but I think we should talk about it again. We've been dating for almost a year now, and I know most of that time I haven't been… here, so to speak, but I know you must be getting a little frustrated, and…"

Ron placed a finger gently on Kim's lips, silencing her, before slowly cupping her chin. "KP, I'd be lying if I said I didn't think about it, but there is no way I am going to push you into something you're not ready for, you know that! I love you, and when we decide to… you know… make love… I want it to be special for both of us, not just because we've been together for a year or whatever. Unless… are you…"

Kim looked away briefly, and Ron's face fell slightly. "I'm not ready for that… not yet. But… I think I'm ready for a… bit more."

Ron's eyes squinted as he looked at her, trying to figure out what she meant. "What do you mean?"

Kim just smiled shyly. "You'll see."

She leaned in to meet him this time, and their tongues met this time, twisting and twining in a furious dance. Kim's hands slid behind Ron's neck, her one hand moving to behind his head to pull him in deeper.

Ron was just glad that the front seat of the station wagon had a continuous seat, and he didn't have to fight with a stick or a gap that could interfere, as his hands wrapped around Kim, pulling her tighter against him. His hands roamed across her back as his mouth hungrily sought hers more and more. One hand drifted down lower and lower, while the other moved to the eventual bane of all male existence. His hands slid up, waiting for contact with that offensive device that plagued men for years, only to find the offending garment could not be detected. His other hand moved back up, and both hands frantically felt around, his eyes widening when he couldn't find it.

Ron pulled back briefly, his eyes wide as he stared into Kim's. "Kim… you're not… there's no…"

Kim just smiled seductively at him. "Bra? Didn't wear one tonight! I… kind of had some ideas for tonight. Your not… bothered, are you?"

Ron just gulped, his nose barely separated from hers as he saw the longing in her eyes. "No… no, I think I can… um… yeah…"

"Ron, if you don't want to…"

Ron shook his head vigorously. "No, I'm just surprised, that's all."

Kim laughed softly. "Well, I think the strap you should be looking for are on my shoulders. You see, if you unfasten them, the dress will…"

Ron needed no further encouragement, his mouth quickly moving to her neck, nipping and sucking lightly, eliciting a quick moan from Kim. One hand worked on the clip, and to Ron's surprise, found it was much easier to remove than the hooks on a bra. The one strap fell back, and part of the front fell downward, Ron shifting slightly to allow it to fall between them, though it didn't quite fall down far enough, the fabric still covering that new frontier he had been given the go ahead to explore. His mouth continued it's assault on her bare shoulder, trailing kisses ever further downward, until his mouth was just above the dress. His hands moved to the other shoulder, and when Kim gave no sign of stopping him or hesitating, began to remove the final strap from…

A knock at the window caused them both to jump, and Kim quickly reached for the straps to redo her dress. Ron was hyperventilating as he slowly rolled down the window, to see the rather amused look on the police officer's face, as he slowly scanned his flashlight inside the car.

"Ms. Possible… Mr. Stoppable… pleasant night, isn't it?"

Ron looked up sheepishly. "Umm… sure is Officer Hobble. Umm… how's everything for you?"

Hobble just smiled. "I'm doing pretty good, just looking for misbehaving teens to report to their parents. You… haven't seen any around here, have you?"

Ron shook his head quickly. "Nope, no misbehaving teens here, just Kim and me, enjoying the nice night by the lake. That's all!"

"Good to hear, good to hear. Though maybe you should be heading home, wouldn't want some other officer to get the wrong idea, would we?"

Kim nodded her agreement quickly. "No sir, we wouldn't. Thank you Officer Hobble!"

"Officer Hobble tipped his hat, smiling broadly. "You two have a good night now, and Ms. Possible… good to have you back!"

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Andrea smiled as she saw the car pull into the driveway, and turned to the boys. "You know what to do?"

Jim and Tim still couldn't believe they were getting the go-ahead on this, and that it was their mother who had planned it. Together, they responded. "We've got it."

"Now remember, this is for tonight only. After this, you get the full brunt of her wrath and any punishment I deem fit. Understood?"

"Understood."

Jim and Tim quickly headed for the garage, and Tim leaned in quickly to his brother. "Wish we could have done more if we're going to get a free pass on this one."

"I know, but this will still be good."

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Ron walked Kim up to the front door, and the two teens paused as they stood in the doorway. They glanced briefly at the window, noting quickly the rustling that indicated someone had just pulled away. Kim just grinned at that.

"We'll get another chance, don't worry."

"I'm not worried about that. I'm just wondering if Officer Hobble is going to mention anything to anyone."

Kim wrapped her arms around Ron, smiling. "I wouldn't worry about that. If he was going to, he would have said something. Now, we still have another twenty minutes until curfew… what do you think we should do with them?"

Ron's grin broadened, and he leaned in, his lips meeting with hers yet again. His hands trailed down her back, until his fingers lightly grazed the top of her…

A splash of freezing cold water struck them, and Kim screamed. A steady stream issued forth from beneath the garage, as the door slowly slid open, the Tweebs laughing like crazy as they pointed the hose at the two teens. Ron tried to move forward to take the hose from them, and got a face full of water for his troubles, falling back onto the grass as he became thoroughly drenched.

Jim and Tim quickly dropped the hose to the ground, letting the hose skitter across the ground as the water continued to flow.

"We thought you two…"

"…could use a chance to cool off!"

Kim's hands clenched at her sides, as she glared at the pair of them. "TWEEBS!"

"Oops…"

"…gotta go!"

The twins bolted hastily for the kitchen door, as Kim could only stand there enraged. Ron, supporting himself on his elbows while lying on the ground, glanced up at her, only to see her face slowly break into a grin. When she started laughing, and fell against the side of the house, laughing almost maniacally as she slowly slid to the ground, he rushed quickly to her side. "KP, are you okay? That was water they sprayed us with, wasn't it? Cause if that was some kind of strange chemical, maybe we should talk to your parents, and they can…"

Kim just waved him off, trying to catch a breath as she kept laughing. Finally, when she had calmed down enough to respond coherently, she answered him.

"I'm definitely home now!"

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Author's Notes – For a look at what Wyoming's is like, just think Montana's, and there you go.


	14. Chapter 14

I don't own, Disney does. Thank you everyone, as this story has recieved over 10,000 hits and 200 reviews! Thank you so much! Check out In Her Life, by AtomicFire, featuring the newest and most unique pairing since Shego/Barkin!

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Recovery – Chapter 14

"I swear Monique, you'd think someone was spying on us, the way Ron and I keep getting interrupted. Every time we start something, someone is always popping up to interfere. Last night, Officer Hobble caught us!"

Monique lowered the top she was gazing at, raising an eyebrow as she glanced over at Kim. "Where did he catch you, and just how far… never mind, just the first question please?"

"It's not like that, you know that! We were just parked by the lake, and we were just… making out, when he knocked on the window. And then, when we got home, the Tweebs drenched us with the hose. And do you know what my mother said? 'How do you feel now?' I swear, I think she planned it or something, because she sure didn't punish them as they sat giggling in their room."

The corner of Monique's mouth twitched into a curl. "I thought you wanted them to act normal around you?"

"I do, but would it be wrong for them to do stuff AFTER Ron and me had finished saying goodbye?"

"The terrible two struck again?" Kim turned to see Bonnie come into the store, smiling brightly. "I swear, I don't know how you put up with those two. Though I have to admit, they're better than my sisters."

Kim smiled lightly, turning back the shirts in front of her. "You've had to deal with them?"

Bonnie shrugged, moving beside the rack to look at shirts herself. "Your folks asked me to watch them once. If I could have foreseen the headaches in advance, I would have said no on the spot. But this was before I managed to get some control, so I didn't have an idea of just what I was volunteering for."

Monique squealed, pulling a top from the rack quickly. "Oh, I've got to try this on, I'll be right back!"

Monique ran quickly for the change rooms, and Bonnie and Kim returned silently to going through clothes. After a couple of minutes, Bonnie paused, looking over at Kim. "This is still really strange, isn't it? You and me, just talking, hanging out?"

Kim bit her lip, glancing over. "A little, yeah. I think it's easier when others are around, but I… it just seems strange without arguing or something. Two weeks isn't a lot of time to adjust to something like this."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. Even after we talked… maybe if we traded a few insults, we might be able to get past this?"

Kim's mouth twitched into a half frown. "I don't think that would help, and it sure wouldn't make things easier on everyone else. Maybe we just need to… get used to each other or something."

"Maybe." Bonnie returned to browsing, flipping through the clothes without really looking. "So what were you and Monique talking about when I came in?"

"Oh, just how Ron and I never seem to get any private time to ourselves."

Bonnie glanced over at Kim, smirking. "Private time?"

Kim just rolled her eyes. "It's not like that. Why does everyone think it's like that?"

"Maybe because you two have been joined at the hip so long, it just seems strange that you two haven't had sex yet."

Kim blushed deeply, dropping her voice to a whisper as she grabbed Bonnie's arm. "Could you say that any louder? I'm sure the guy who runs the pizza place in the food court didn't quite hear you."

"Oh please, nobody's paying any attention, and so what if they are. Now, I assume you just want some quiet time for your date tonight, so how about I help you?"

Kim glanced over, somewhat uncertain and a little suspicious. "What do you mean by help?"

Bonnie put the shirt back she had been looking at, placing a hand on Kim's bare arm. "Focus on places to take Ron, for about five seconds on each, and I'll tell you if you'll be interrupted there or not."

Kim appeared skeptical, but closed her eyes. She could hear Bonnie grunt slightly every so often, the grip on her arm tightening, until Bonnie quickly let out a quick breath. "That last one was perfect!"

"What, the tree house?"

"Sure, you guys will be completely alone there, and no one will interrupt you two tonight."

"We've tried the tree house before, someone always bugs us there."

Bonnie just grinned, a knowing grin that said she had gotten just a bit more than she had wanted. "Believe me, you will be distraction free tonight. Oh, and a word of advice… wear the black ones, make him work for it!"

Kim blushed bright red again, as she realized what Bonnie was talking about, and was thankfully interrupted when Monique came back, smiling broadly. "What's up?"

"Nothing, nothing…" Kim ducked back into the rack, trying to hide her mortification.

Bonnie just chuckled softly. "I don't think Kim and Ron are going to be facing any interference tonight!"

Monique just looked between the two, and laughed as well.

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Ron glanced down at the message on his Kimmunicator, wondering for the hundredth time just what Kim had planned for tonight. She had been evasive ever since he had gotten back from Temple that morning, refusing to divulge any details. Now, he had this message telling him to meet her at the old tree house at eight.

He parked his scooter next to the tree, glancing upwards. Ron could barely make out a soft light emanating through the opening, and slowly made his way up the old boards that served as a ladder. Poking his head through the opening, he saw Kim lounging back on the couch, smiling serenely at him.

"You know KP, you probably shouldn't have tried climbing up here yourself, it could…"

"Ron," Kim glared a bit at him, "can we not bring that up right now?"

Ron winced, climbing up all the way. "Sorry KP, force of habit." He quickly looked around the room, noting the lit candles and the faint scent of incense in the air. "Why did we come here anyways? Am I forgetting something?"

Kim smiled back seductively. "You didn't forget a thing. I thought it was finally time we had some… private time, without any interference."

Ron shrugged. "That would be nice, but we always get a call, or someone drops in, or everything else we can think of. I really doubt we'll get the chance here."

"Bonnie thought we'd have the whole night to ourselves here tonight."

Ron's eyes widened, the faintest hint of a grin crossing his face. "Bonnie… she said… no interruptions?"

"No interruptions."

Ron's face broke out into a full grin. "Booyah!"

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James Possible was reading the rest of the paper that he hadn't finished that morning when a deep shiver ran through his entire body. He put the paper down quickly, glancing around for an open window or something that might have triggered it.

His wife quickly noticed his distress. "What's wrong dear?"

"I'm… not sure. Just… something… it's probably nothing."

James picked his paper back up, and resumed reading, though a curious, nagging sensation continued to plague him in the back of his mind.

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Bonnie shuddered slightly and pulled away from Brick just a bit. He held her, concerned. "Are you all right?"

Bonnie just nodded. "Just a small after image from when I helped Kim. She was looking for somewhere where she and Ron could be alone and not be interrupted at all. Got a little bit more than I wanted. Flashed back on it briefly."

Brick grinned. "Really, how much did you see? Did you see Kim…" Bonnie glared at him, her expression almost disgusted, "…I'm just going to shut up now."

Bonnie crossed her arms over her chest, pulling away fully. "That would probably be a good idea!"

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Ron fell back on the couch against Kim, breathing heavily as he cuddled up behind her, kissing her softly on the neck. "That was… wow… I mean… wow…"

Kim arched back against him, feeling his bare chest press against her back. "That is definitely something we are going to have to do again. Though not that often, not if we want to wait for… everything, I mean. We did that all the time, and I don't think we would hold out from making love anytime soon."

Ron kissed her neck again, the smile the broadest it had been… ever. "I know, that was… wow…"

Kim giggled softly, turning to face him, feeling his arms wrap tightly around her. "Is that all you're going to say? Maybe I burned out a few brain cells there along the way."

"KP, you have to admit, that was wow worthy. I'd be screaming booyah to the heavens if I could get my breath back."

Kim squeezed him gently, nuzzling closer. "You better not, or this private retreat will become very much public, and I really don't want this to end right now."

Ron's eyes widened, as he looked down at her head, her face pressed against his neck. "You want to go again? I don't think I have the energy right now! The mind is willing, but I don't think the body can follow suit."

She rolled her eyes as she lifted her head to look up at him. "I don't mean that, I mean this, the cuddling, just holding you like this."

Ron grinned as understanding set in, and he kissed her lightly on the nose. "That I can do KP, that I can do."

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Kim glanced around briefly, making sure the Tweebs were no where to be seen, before she pulled Ron in tightly, her lips meeting his once again. "You still going to hang out with Felix tomorrow?"

"I could cancel if you want me to?"

"No, don't. I don't think you've hung out with Felix since I woke up. You should spend some time together, before he heads off to MIT in the fall. Besides, I think we both need a chance to recharge, after tonight."

Ron grinned, leaning down for one final kiss. "I'll talk to you tomorrow then, before I head over."

"Sounds good to me."

Ron hopped quickly onto the scooter, and headed off down the road. Kim opened the door, stepping inside and shutting it behind her, but not before she heard Ron as he drove away.

"BOOYAH!"

Kim laughed, as she slumped against the closed door. Her mother quickly came out, to see the vacant, far-away look in her daughter's eyes. "I take it the date went well?"

Kim just sighed, looking nowhere in particular. "Oh yeah…"

"I see Ronald was a happy boy as he pulled out of here."

"Yeah…"

Andrea Possible chuckled lightly, watching the state her daughter was in, knowing the expression well. "So I can plan for grand children in the near future than?"

"Yea… what? NO, I mean… we didn't… nothing like that! We just… oh man, where's daddy?"

Andrea allowed Kim to look about frantically for a moment before smiling brightly. "Your father went to bed early, he has an early meeting tomorrow with the new rocket going up on Monday. You don't need to worry about him overhearing. But I assume some things did happen, am I right?"

Kim looked sheepishly to the floor, her face bright red. "Some… things happened."

"Did those things happen to involve why your bra is sticking out of you bag and your shirt is inside out?"

Kim looked down quickly, tucking the black bra deeper into her bag and out of sight, despite the fact it was far too late. "It… might have. And it was dark... I didn't know about my shirt."

Andrea moved quickly to her daughter, holding her tight in a hug before letting her go. Kim looked up surprised. "Aren't you mad?"

"I'm not mad Kimmie, not if this was a decision you both made, together. Now, I don't want or need to know just what you did, but if you felt you were ready for it, then I'm happy for you. Just make sure you ARE ready for it, and don't feel it's something you need to do."

"Do you think… Dad… would be mad if he found out?"

Andrea smiled, her eyes almost playful. "I think I'll work on your father before we try to tell him anything. You know how he can be with this type of thing. A gradual approach would probably work best, rather than the quick approach like a band-aid. Now, why don't you head on to bed, I'm sure you must be tired."

"Thanks Mom!" Kim leaned up to give her a kiss, before trudging up to her room, her legs feeling like lead as she made the long traverse.

Andrea paused on the steps, glancing at the photos on the way up as she went by, pausing briefly at the pictures of Kim and Ron together. "They grow up so fast."

With a final pause, she hit the light switch, and headed for bed.

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Author's Notes – Now wasn't that just mean, I cut out all the really smuffy parts! hehe


	15. Chapter 15

I don't own, Disney does. Check out Sestren NK's Acts of Desperation, the third in his Dark Nemesis Trilogy.

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Recovery – Chapter 15

Kim breathed a sigh of relief as she left the last test for the day. Mr. Barkin hadn't been kidding when he had told her that ALL her tests would fall this week, though he was giving her the break tomorrow, on Thursday, so that she could prepare properly for her SATs.

Ron stood by the door, taking her hand in his, looking deeply into her eyes to see if he could determine how she had done. "KP, how'd it go?"

"I don't know. Eight tests in three days, plus all the class work… and I still have SATs on Friday… I have no idea how I'm doing right now. Mr. Barkin said he'd give me a full report on my marks shortly, while the dance committee is meeting. But… all that work… if I didn't do well…"

Ron glanced over her shoulder, making sure Barkin wasn't looking, and swooped in for a quick kiss. "You know you've done fine. You always do! So it was a little more compact than it usually is, it will be all right."

"I hope so."

"As you always say, no big!"

Kim took his hand, squeezing it, as the two of them made their way to the gym, where the dance committee was meeting to discuss final preparations for the prom, which was only three weeks away. She knew jumping in would be difficult this late into it, but it felt good to be getting back into something other than just school and working out. And Bonnie had insisted on her taking part, telling her it was a chance for them to bond in a normal environment, to try and work past their adversarial nature of the past. She hoped that it would, considering Bonnie was going to be a friend, and they'd need to work past this awkwardness they were still feeling. This might be just the thing to do that.

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"I can't believe this, this is just like you Bonnie!"

"Me? You've been here twenty minutes and you think you know better than me? I brought you back in as a favour, and…"

"Favour? You were doing me a favour? Not bad, considering I was in charge here at the start of the school year."

"And I'm in charge now, and you just can't handle that. Who's being immature here? Because I know when to back down. Ten minutes in and you're already trying to take control. I can't believe you, you…"

"Don't start talking like that to me, EVERYONE knows how you can get, like a pit bull with a bone. Well some of us don't go in for that…"

Ron laid his head on the table, just as several others students were currently doing, tucking his head under his arms to try and muffle the shouting. Ben, the sophomore and youngest member of the dance committee, leaned over, whispering in Ron's ear. "Man, this is your girlfriend and your partner. Can't you do something?"

Ron glanced between the two shouting women, turning back to the younger teen. "I wish I could, but then I'd be in trouble with both of them. Best to let them ride it out."

"But dude, they're gonna kill each other any minute now!"

Ron shook his head slightly, giving a bit of a half smirk. "Nahh, they're just working out some issues, though I wish they had done it in private." Ron lower into his seat, wincing at some of what was being said.

Bonnie's eyes widened in shock, and she leaned over the table further. "I cannot believe you brought that up again, that was three years ago. Maybe I should just bring up the time you…"

"MS. POSSIBLE, MS. ROCKWALLER!"

Both teens turned quickly. "WHAT?"

The glare in their eyes disappeared instantly as they saw Steve Barkin standing in the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest.

Kim was the first to respond. "Uhh… sorry Mr. Barkin, we were just…"

"I don't believe that your… discussion, had any true bearing on the current meeting, and should be saved for a time OFF school grounds. I just came to drop off your current grades."

He held out a slip of paper, and Kim took it trepidaciously, almost afraid to see what was on it. She glanced down at the page, afraid of what she would see, and the shock that filled her face had the entire room silent.

Steve just smiled, glancing down at Ron. "I think I can excuse a little PDA Stoppable… this time."

Ron rose to his feet, looking over Kim's shoulder to see what was written there, when she suddenly turned and wrapped him in a tight hug, her lips meeting his quickly and excitedly.

"I got all As! I did it!"

Steve let her have her moment, as the students clustered around her, offering their congratulations. When they had started to settle down, and Kim slumped into her chair, holding tight to the piece of paper in her hands, he stepped forward once again. "I expect you to be in your regular classes from this point on, Ms. Possible. You still have a lot of work ahead of you."

Kim looked up, a little teary-eyed. "Thank you sir!"

He nodded brusquely. "You deserved it. Now, back to the meeting at hand people."

Steve Barkin left with a smile on her face, leaving Kim joyously hugging Ron again. He pulled away slightly, catching her eyes. "I knew you could do it KP!"

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"I can't believe I got all As! I mean, I figured I had some trouble with the history test, but…"

Ron just took her hand, kissing it softly. "You have to stop worrying so much Kimala, it's all good. Now you can go home, relax, and just worry about the SATs in a couple days, and classes, and… okay, I'm thinking there won't be much relaxing involved, will there?"

Kim just grinned, as they exited the school. "Nope, but thankfully, I have a very amazing boyfriend who is going to help me study for the SATs."

Ron groaned, raising his free hand over his eyes. "Aww Kim, I already did the SATs. Do I have to go through all that again?"

"Pwease Ronnie?"

Ron froze, his hand locked over his eyes. "You're doing the puppy dog pout right now, aren't you?"

"Nooo…"

"You are too doing the puppy dog pout, and that is just ferociously unfair."

"What are you two up to?"

Kim turned, the pout disappearing as Bonnie walked out through the door. "Hey Bonnie. I'm… sorry, about what was going on in there. I was freaked by the schoolwork, and I shouldn't have spouted off like that. You're the one in charge, and I should have listened first rather than just jumping to conclusions like that."

Bonnie held her books close to her, her foot tracing small circles in the dirt. "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have gone off like I did. Just… it felt like you were trying to take over again, and I…"

"We're both sorry, and let's just leave it at that, okay?"

Bonnie smiled and nodded. "That's okay with me. So, what were you two talking about when I interrupted?"

"She was trying to talk me into helping her study for the SATs. I love her, but having to go through all that again? And she was trying to do the puppy dog pout!"

Bonnie noted the still shielded eyes of Ron and smiled evilly at Kim. "I could help you study Kim, that's not a problem."

Kim picked up on it quickly. "Thanks Bonnie, that will be a big help."

Ron sighed, lowering his hand and opening his eyes, just in time to catch the full brunt of the puppy dog pout.

"Pwease Ronnie… for me?"

Ron moaned and hung his head. Defeated, he continued to stare at his feet. "I take you want to start as soon as you get home?"

Kim wrapped her arms around him, kissing him playfully on the nose. "Thank you Ron, I knew I could count on you."

The beeping of the Kimmunicator gave them all pause, and Ron reached for the device, activating it to see a smiling Wade. "What's up Wade?"

"We've got an old friend making an appearance. Check it out."

The screen changed, showing a very familiar lair, and a smiling Senor Senior Senior. His hands held the cane in front of him, as he glared into the camera. "Good day to you, the people of Venice. I… am Senor Senior Senior, and if you do not accede to my demands for control of your city, I shall drain your precious canals, and destroy your entire economy. You have twenty-four hours to respond."

Wade popped back up onto the screen. "I guess he's still at it."

Ron shook his head, pondering the situation. "Man, we haven't heard from him since last year. I figured he had given up on the whole villain thing."

"I'll have a ride for you there in just a couple of minutes. You want me to get Tara as well?"

Ron glanced over at Bonnie before nodding to Wade. "Couldn't hurt. Plus, at least we know the Senor's style, so there won't be as many surprises as there are with these newbies popping up. We can pick her up on the way. Thanks Wade."

The screen darkened, and Ron noticed Kim peering at him. "Sorry KP, but duty calls. I'll be by when we get back, and I can help you study then."

"No big Ron, we can do it tomorrow, when you won't be as tired."

Ron pulled her tight, giving her a kiss, just as the plane began making a vertical landing in the parking lot. "I'll still stop by anyways. I expect you're folks will want to have a celebration after you show them your marks."

Ron and Bonnie dashed for the plane, and he gave one final wave before the cockpit closed and the plane took off. Kim watched as it disappeared into the sky forlornly. She looked down at her hands, clenching and unclenching them, wishing that she was going with him, and knowing that she would only get in the way if she did.

She shook off the last thought quickly, clenching her fists again. She may not be able to help right now, but that wasn't going to stop her from being there to help on the next mission. Setting her teeth, she set off for home at a jog, feeling her still recovering muscles protesting under the new strain.

There was something still for her to do that didn't involve studying.

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The plane landed gently on the beach, and the trio of teens disembarked quickly. Ron glanced up at the walls of the compound, staring admiringly at the missiles sticking out from the wall. He breathed deep, sighing almost contentedly. "You know, I almost missed this place. Always warm and sunny, and the Senors aren't mean enough to bother you when you want to enjoy it for a moment."

Tara was also looking to the wall, looking up and down it's length. "So how are we getting in? Grapple over the wall, then through the ventilation shaft?"

Ron just shrugged, pulling out his grappling gun. I figured we'd go right in the front door this time. Considering he's only threatening Venice, I think he might just want us to visit for a good fight or something."

Bonnie just looked at him askance. "Are you serious? This guy just wants us to drop by for a visit? What kind of super villain is he? I thought he was one of your regulars?"

"Oh, he is, but he has this whole code of conduct, and he's probably only doing this to stay in the super villain union or something. We should be in and out in no time. Just… watch for the spinning tops of doom. Never should have mentioned that to him."

Tara was now looking at him strangely. "Mentioned it to him?"

Ron rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Yeah, I kinda made a few… suggestions the first time we were here. I don't know if he has any left though."

Bonnie and Tara looked at each other, before firing the own hooks up over the wall, Ron following right behind. They quickly scaled down the other side of the wall, Bonnie taking in the entire compound as the scaled back down the other side. "That is a BIG pool! Why is this guy a super villain again?"

Ron shrugged as he landed, retracting the hook back. "He's bored, thought evil would make a nice hobby in his retirement."

They walked right up to the front door, and Ron actually knocked on the door. "Senior, Junior, time to give yourselves up now!"

The door swung open at his knocking. Tara backed up quickly. "I'm… thinking this is a trap."

Bonnie just rolled her eyes, peering past the doorway. "What gave you that idea? The fact that the door opened for us or the fact that there wasn't anything trying to stop us from getting to the door in the first place?"

Ron strode through the door, and the two girls followed right behind, staying a few feet back in case he sprung a trap. The trio walked unmolested down the corridor, until they reached a set of doors that opened before them. Ron marched right through without a single care.

Senor Senior Senior turned in his chair to face them, as they stood at the top of the steps, smiling broadly. "Ahh, Ron Stoppable, how good of you to come. And I see you brought a pair of lovely ladies with you. I assume the one on your right is the beautiful Bonnie Rockwaller? I do confess I am not familiar with your other compatriot."

"Senior, this is Tara Matthews, the newest member to Team Possible."

Senior rose, bowing slightly. "I am most pleased to meet you."

Tara was looking about her, uncertain. "Umm… pleased to… um… meet you too?"

Ron started down the steps, approaching Senior almost casually. "So what is this about Senior? I thought you had given up on the villain business when we hadn't heard from you in a while."

"Ah, but it wouldn't have been sporting without…"

"Father, do you know where I left my tanning oil? I can't keep my robust tan without my tanning oil."

Four heads turned as Junior came in one of the side doors, and Senior just groaned. "Junior, can you not see we are in the middle of our villainous scheme? Can this not wait until afterwards?"

"But Father, I am tired of the villainous schemes. Can we not just do something else?"

Senior just shook his head, turning back to the teen heroes. "Please forgive Junior, he does not understand how such things are to go. Now, where was I… oh yes! It would not have been sporting without my teen foe back in the game. But now that she is better, I can return matters back to the status quo."

Ron gave a half nod, trying hard to ignore Junior as he flitted about the lair, trying to find his suntan oil. "Sorry, but KP's not back to fighting form just yet. You'll have to settle for us."

"I… am afraid not." Senior pushed a button on his cane, and several doors opened at once, revealing the smiling faces of a great number of burly henchmen, who quickly moved to surround the teen heroes as they moved into defensive positions.

Ron glanced around, readying himself for a fight, but the henchmen stopped a few feet from them. "Since when do you have henchmen Senior, I thought you preferred to do your own work?"

Senior strode back to his seat, settling himself in. "I do, but for this, I thought the help would be required. You see, I plan to use you as bait, to draw Kim Possible to me. Then, the two of us shall do battle, as is befitting a hero and a villain."

Bonnie turned her head to look at Senior, her confusion evident. "You did all this, threatened Venice and brought us here… just to get at Kim? Don't we rate?"

"My dear, I do apologize. While I appreciate your status as heroes, and even applaud you in your efforts versus that vile Monkey Fist, my quarrel remains with my original teenage foe. I do apologize for any slight against your persons."

Tara smirked, glancing back at Bonnie. "You have to give him this, he's the politest villain we've ever faced."

Senior smiled and nodded, and the henchmen began to move in. "Now, I am afraid the time for small talk is over for now, but I am sure we will talk further once you have been captured and Miss Possible informed of your predicament. Henchmen… ATTACK!"

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Author's Notes – I'll just leave us at this nice little cliffie here while I work on a few of my other stories in the works.


	16. Chapter 16

I don't own, Disney does. Be sure to check out Origins, by Revenant666, a Shego prequel. Us who write these things have to stick together, even if it is a 'competing' story. lol

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Recovery – Chapter 16

Ron dove quickly to the left, ducking under the wild swing from the burly henchman before him. He swept low, knocking the henchman's legs out from under him before jumping back to his feet, his back pressed tight to both Tara and Bonnie, eyeing the henchman around them.

"You know, I blame you Bonnie."

Bonnie craned her head to glare at him, her eyes wide. "My fault? How the hell is this my fault?"

"You didn't mention henchmen, you should have mentioned the henchmen."

"How am I supposed to know if there are henchmen or not. I didn't see this happening. When the hell has he ever used henchmen?"

"Can you two argue about this another time?" Tara kicked out at a henchman who got to close, driving him back. "It's nobody's fault. Now, can we deal with this please?"

The trio broke apart, driving into the mass of henchmen. Bonnie cast a quick glance at Tara as she drove an elbow into the jaw of one of the men. "Helping Josh with another art project tonight?"

Tara leapt to the side, grabbing the arm of a smaller goon and tossing him over her hip. "Bonnie, how did… that is private!"

Ron threw a spinning kick, catching two goons unawares. "What's so private about working together on a project?"

Bonnie just grinned as she grabbed a goon in a headlock. "Nothing… if it wasn't for the subject material." She kicked out, still holding the one guy. "And if Josh actually could ever finish one of them."

Ron tossed one goon into another, tossing them both into a wall, where they slumped to the floor. "What do you mean by…" Ron paused, and stood up straight. "Ohh… I get it! You mean…" A goon caught him unawares, landing a right across Ron's jaw, driving him to the floor.

"Now see what you did?" Tara felt arms wrap behind her, hoisting her in the air. She struggled against the grip as a second henchman advanced, but she just lifted her legs, wrapping them around his head. She gave a twist, and he spun to the floor. Tara felt the grip loosen as the goon holding her was surprised, and she took the opportunity to drop quickly, driving an elbow into his groin. "You're distracting Ron, and I think we need him right now. Can we talk about this after?"

Ron crawled out from under the dog pile of eight goons, glancing back at the pile that had failed to notice his departure. "I'm good, I'm good. So… art project, huh? I wonder if Kim would be interested in that sort of thing."

Bonnie twisted to the right, switching opponents quickly with Tara, who dodged the same way. "So you and Kim have gotten to that point in your relationship?"

Ron twisted the goon's arm, glancing over at Bonnie with wide eyes. "We haven't… I mean… we did some… can we just drop it?"

Bonnie grunted as the goon caught her shoulder, but she brushed it off. "You're the one who brought it up!"

"ENOUGH!"

Everyone froze, and all eyes turned to Junior, who was picking himself up from where a goon had landed on him. "Father, can you not simply do the mechanical arm thingy and capture them already? This one broke my comb, and I do not wish to lose my backup comb."

Senior groaned as he eyed his son. "Son, you just do not understand."

"But Father, they are not even the ones you want."

"Junior, while these are not the heroes I wish, it would not be sporting, not with all these henchman to do the work. What would have been the point of having them then?"

"Father, please? I just want to go back to the pool."

Senior rolled his eyes, pulling a remote from his pocket. "Very well Junior."

Metal tentacles shot quickly from the walls, striking out towards the teens as they tried diving away. Tara was grabbed quickly, and pulled towards the wall when one grabbed her arm. Bonnie managed to dodge the first two, but was snagged by the third as it grabbed her by the leg. She quickly found herself fastened to the wall beside Tara.

Ron ducked and twisted away, driving forward towards Senior and the remote. The older man just smiled as Ron worked his way across the room, henchman getting caught up as he slipped away. When he was but a few feet away, he dove for Senior, but felt metal wrap quickly around his ankle in mid-air, halting his forward momentum and slamming him to the ground. Ron tried pulling forward, but another tentacle took hold of his left arm, and he felt himself being dragged slowly to the wall.

Senior slowly moved towards the wall, releasing the henchmen that had been caught up. When they were all free, nursing their hurts, he stood at the top of the stairs to address them. "Thank you all for your service. I have wired a bonus into your accounts for your fine work. Please thank Mr. Hench for responding on such short notice to my request."

The henchmen turned and left the room, and Senior cast one last glance around for his son. When he did not see him, he sighed, turning back to the teen heroes. "I do apologize for my son's behaviour, even after all this time, he does not yet understand the finer points involved in villainy."

Ron strained against the coils binding him. "What do you want with us? With Kim?"

Senior chuckled softly. "My dear boy, I shall answer all your questions shortly. But first, I must make a call."

Senior reached into Ron's pants pocket, withdrawing the Kimmunicator. Ron protested loudly, but there was nothing he could do as Senior activated it.

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Kim slid through her Tai Chi motions, keeping the Kimmunicator screen facing her so she could talk. "How long does it take to stop Senior? It shouldn't be taking this long. Something has gone wrong!"

Wade just groaned for what seemed the hundredth time. "They only went in about ten minutes ago Kim, you shouldn't worry so much. The three of them will be fine!"

"I know, I know, but I can't help it. It feels weird not being there with him."

Wade nodded, then smiled as one of his monitors beeped. "And that's probably them now. Hey Ron, how'd it… Senior?"

Kim stopped instantly, pulling the Kimmunicator close. "What's going on Wade, talk to me."

Wade was pale as he turned back to Kim. "It's Senior. He… he wants to talk to you."

The screen shifted, showing the smiling expression of Senor Senior Senior. "Hello Miss. Possible, it is so good to see you again. I trust you are well?"

"How did you get Ron's Kimmunicator? What do you want?"

"Ah, right to the point, that is good." The screen shifted, and Kim gasped as she could see Ron, Bonnie and Tara bound to the wall, struggling to get free. The screen turned again, showing Senior. "I have Mr. Stoppable and his associates. I would appreciate it if you were to stop by for a visit, to reclaim them from me. Do not be too long, or something may… happen… to my guests."

Senior disappeared from the screen, replaced by Wade. "Kim, I…"

Kim clenched the Kimmunicator hard, her face set. "Wade, line me up a ride. I'm going to go get them!"

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Senior returned the Kimmunicator to Ron's pocket, smiling the entire time. Ron just struggled harder against his bonds. "What's your game here Senior?"

Senior pushed a button on the remote, and a table with chairs popped out of the floor in front of them. He pushed another button, and Team Possible found themselves sitting in the chairs, their hands and arms free, but the rest of their bodies still bound. An older gentleman entered quickly, pushing a tray laden with food and drink. Ron blinked several times as he recognized the man who was setting place settings for them.

"Wait a minute… aren't you… you were Monkey Fist's assistant! What was your name… Bats… Beats…"

"That would be Bates sir." He continued setting out food, unconcerned.

"But how come you're here?"

Bates paused briefly, glancing up. "Lord Fiske deemed he had no more need for my services when he began training those… those monkeys to do my job."

Senior seated himself across from Ron and the girls, nodding to Bates. "When I decided to pursue evil as a hobby, I thought it good to get someone who could work for us who had experience dealing in the villain lifestyle, yet was still trustworthy enough to leave with our possessions. When he was let go by Lord Fiske, I hired the gentleman immediately. He has been in my employ for almost two years now."

Ron just watched Bates as he finished serving the food, and headed out of the room. "You know, I always wondered what happened to him."

Senior gestured over the table, smiling. "Please, dig in. I would hate to think I was being an ungracious host. Miss Possible should be here in a few hours, giving us plenty of time to talk.

The teens glanced down at their plates suspiciously, but Ron went ahead and took a bite. "Not bad. So, if you're not going to kill us, what is this all about? You must know Kim is still recovering, isn't it against the rules to go after her like this?"

Senior raised his glass, taking a sip. "My dear boy, that is the precise reason I have done this. Miss Possible has been through an exceedingly painful event, the kind of event that could affect someone deeply. I wish to merely make sure she… what's the expression… gets back on the horse? You see, evil is not much of a hobby if your foe is not around to attempt to stop you, hence my absence. And while I am well aware that you and Miss Rockwaller have acquitted yourselves greatly as heroes in your own stead, good job with that Monkey Fist by the way, he a most disagreeable fellow, it is Miss Possible that is my foe, my primary opponent so to speak. I could not get back into the game without her present."

"So… you did all this… just to make sure she would still be up to fighting you?"

Senior nodded. "Of course!"

Tara could only look at him in shock. "You're doing this to help Kim?"

Ron shrugged, or tried to with the metal coils holding him. "I am not honestly that surprised. When he's not trying to kill us, he is a pretty stand-up guy."

Senior bowed his head slightly to Ron. "Thank you Mr. Stoppable. To be entirely fair, I plan to face her one-on-one myself. While I do tend to think of myself more as a planner than a fighter, I think it would only be fair to her. If I win, you will all be able to return home, and I will wait for another opportunity in the future. If she wins, I will promptly turn myself over to the authorities, before escaping in a few days time of course. Either way, the game will resume, as it always has. Now please, dig in, before your food gets cold."

Bonnie leaned over to Tara as best she could, dropping her voice to a whisper. "Is this the strangest mission ever, or is it just me?"

Tara just grinned. "I don't know, I kind of like it. He reminds me of my grandfather. I wish all the missions could be like this; get defeated, have dinner."

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"Kim, I don't think this is such a good idea."

Kim had the Kimmunicator on the desk as she got changed. "Wade, I'm not going to argue with you, but what choice do we have? He has Ron, Bonnie, and Tara, and the only way to get them back is go there myself. Have you heard back from Global Justice?"

"They don't have anyone available who can help. They're all busy."

Kim finished dressing and picked up the Kimmunicator. "Then I guess I'm going alone."

"Kim, think about this! Ron should be able to escape on his own, and he has both of them with him. He'll be fine, you don't have to do this!"

"Wade, you haven't said when my ride will be here. Will it be soon?"

Wade fiddled on his computers, looking concerned. "I'm having trouble locking something down right now. I think if we wait…"

Kim paused as she reached the living room, looking more closely at Wade on the screen. "Wade… what's going on?"

Wade looked away quickly, and Kim could see the panic in his eyes. "What are you talking about? I'm not…"

"Wade, you're trying to delay me. What… you've found someone to go rescue them, haven't you?"

"Kim, it's not… I don't…"

She glared at Wade, anger evident in her expression. "Wade, if you have someone going to rescue them, they can come pick me up on the way. I am going, and there is nothing you can say that will stop me."

"Kim, I don't…" He took one look at her face, and his shoulders slumped. "All right, I'll divert them to pick you up. Be right back."

The screen went dark, and Kim sat impatiently, waiting for Wade's signal. When it beeped, not a minute later, she let out the breath she had been holding.

"They've turned around, and should be there any second. They were just heading out."

Kim smiled, heading for the door. "So, who will I be working with? Team Impossible? Team Go? Please don't tell me it's Will Du, I don't I could stand hours of pomp from him."

Wade fidgeted, drawing Kim's attention. "Not… exactly."

Kim frowned, watching as he diverted his eyes again. "Wade, who is it? It can't be worse than working with Will, can it?"

Wade put on a smile to try and relieve her concerns. "No, I don't think it's worse than Will. I doubt Ron would either…"

"Wade…"

"… and you do know this person very well…"

"Just tell me who it is!"

"Hey Princess, looking pretty good. Miss me?"

Kim closed her eyes, groaning. "Wade, you didn't?"

"She volunteered right away, what was I supposed to say?"

Kim heard the laughter above her. "What's the matter Kimmie, not happy to see me?"

Kim looked up to see the green and black jet hovering above her head, and instantly caught sight of the dark-haired, green skinned woman who stuck her head out of the open canopy. "Hello Shego."

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Author's Notes – Well, isn't this going to be fun! lol


	17. Chapter 17

I don't own, Disney does. Check out Trap of the Fates, a very intriguing tale by theweirdperson.

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Recovery – Chapter 17

"Well Princess, you coming or not?"

Kim took a deep breath, carefully stepping up on the waiting ramp as the jet hovered a couple feet off the ground. Shego just leaned in the entranceway, smiling down at her. She paused to look at Shego, eyeing the woman carefully. "So you volunteered to help rescue Ron and the others?"

Shego just smirked at her. "Well, I did milk some cash out of the government first before I said yes."

Kim glared back. "I thought Ron was your friend? What, you don't go help your friends until you get paid to?"

Shego just shrugged, bringing in the ramp. "Oh settle down Kimmie, I would have gone for him anyways. I just wanted a little something on the side for my trouble."

The jet rattled a bit as it lifted, and Kim had to grab onto the wall of the jet as she lost her balance. When she was sure that she was fine, she noticed Shego already heading to the cockpit. "So you really would have gone to help Ron, even if they wouldn't have given you any money?"

"I'm not heartless, I just think I should benefit. Just because I'm one of the good guys now, doesn't mean I have to be stupid about it. That was always your problem… well, that and your fashion sense."

Kim reached the door to the cockpit as Shego lounged back on one of the bench seats. "What, because I didn't extort the people I'm trying to help?"

Shego just scoffed as she put her hand behind her head, the other hand in front of her, as she looked closely at the claws on the glove. "It's not extortion, it's called a paycheck. I mean, did you make ANY money off all the times you captured Drakken and me, or when you recovered some technology? Please, you could have been millionaires just off one percent of the cost involved. Hell, I bet you spent your own money at times to fight evil. Really, which way do you think is best?"

"It's worked pretty well without having to whore ourselves out to the highest bidder!"

Shego sat up quickly, glaring at Kim. "Excuse me, who the hell…"

"Shego, perhaps now is not the time to antagonize our young guest." The pilot's seat swiveled, as Kim's eyes widened as she saw Drakken sitting there for the first time. Her gaze traced the scars on his face and hand, noting the eye patch. Ron had told her what had happened to him, but seeing it in reality was completely different.

"Dra… Drakken? I…"

"Oh come on Dr. D, I'm just having fun with her. Hey Kimmie, I just have one question… have you made a man out of Stoppable yet?" Shego was grinning like a cat that ate the canary.

Kim continued to stare at Drakken until the words sank in, and she turned back to glare at Shego. "What? No, we haven't… I mean…"

Shego gave a laugh and rose to her feet. "Just what I thought, still completely frigid. Don't freeze that boy out too long, I might just take a run at him. I still remember what it was like to hold him in my arms… felt really good."

Kim's eyes widened, her hands shaking, as Shego gave a chuckle. "Oh, this is too much fun, it can't be good for me. I'm gonna go check on the equipment Dr. D. You mind keeping Princess occupied?"

Shego just headed back to the cargo bay, shutting the door behind her, as Drakken laughed softly. Kim was still shaking as she tried glaring through the titanium door to the target of her anger.

"That… that… bitch!"

"Now Kimberly Ann, what would your parents say about you using language like that? I know James wouldn't approve."

Kim turned around, looking at Drakken now. "How can anyone be like that? She is so… so infuriating! I don't see how Ron can consider her a friend!"

Drakken gestured to the seat beside him, and after a moment's hesitation, Kim rose to take the co-pilot's seat beside him. She eyed him wearily, but he just smiled sincerely. "I know it seems strange, and you've heard the stories, but the last few months have made a lot of changes in a lot of people. For Shego, that… bantering… is her way of finding something from the past that she enjoyed. I wouldn't take it personally."

"Take it personally? She's talking about moving in on Ron and holding him in her arms. How am I not supposed to take that personally?"

Drakken just grinned as he checked the instruments again, making sure the autopilot was still functioning properly. "I wouldn't worry about that, she's already in a serious relationship. She may joke, or even flirt, but she won't do anything."

Kim pulled her knees up to her chest, hugging her legs to her as she sat in the seat. "Ron mentioned that, but he had no ideas who it was. He thought it was the Global Justice agent they assigned to you guys, but Bonnie said it wasn't."

"Well, I've learned not to put myself in the middle of their relationship, and it's really not my place to discuss it." Drakken cast a glance out the window, a faint grin on his face. "Oh, did I ever learn not to get in the middle."

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_One month ago…_

"Ohhh… is this what I think it is… it is! It's here!"

Shego looked up from her magazine, glancing up at the excited Drakken. "What are you going on about?"

Drakken hit the door control, and the automated doors opened. In rolled a deliveryman, pushing a rather large crate into the room. The deliveryman dropped it in the middle of the room, grabbing a clipboard from on top of the crate. "Who's signing for this thing?"

Drakken rolled himself over, taking care with the still painful hand. Grabbing the clipboard, he signed his name, and turned quickly to the crate. Grabbing at one of the edges, he tried to open it, but it wouldn't give. He shifted to get a better angle, but it wouldn't budge. With a final grunt, he slumped back in his wheelchair, turning to look doe-eyed at Shego. "Shego… any chance you could…"

Without looking up from her magazine, she pointed at the crate, firing a blast. The front of the crate exploded, and Drakken shielded his eyes. He turned to glare at Shego when he saw that most of the crate had been trashed completely. "Shego, this is delicate equipment!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever Doctor D. What is it anyways that's got you so excited?"

"Just this!" Drakken rolled into the remains of the crate, only to come rolling out a moment later in a new wheelchair. "Feast your eyes on this!"

Shego glanced up, rolling her eyes. "So you got a new set of wheels, big deal."

"Ah Shego, but not just any wheels. This wheelchair is cyber-robotic!"

Shego looked up to give the chair a better look. "You mean like that kid's chair you tried to jack last year?"

Drakken looked sheepish for a moment, as he noticed his mother coming in behind Shego. "Well… umm… anyways, I've been waiting for this to arrive ever since my own attempts to recreate the technology didn't… work so well."

Mrs. Lipsky looked up from cleaning the large monitor. "Oh Drewbie, is that when we had to remodel the control room and they started building the basement with all that shielding for your experiments?"

Drakken was silent for a moment, his teeth set. "Yes Mother, that was why." He rolled out around the control room, enjoying the handling of the chair. "But this chair was made custom for me, and will do whatever I want. No more having to wait as they place a ramp for me at my lectures. No more staying here or on the plane to run recon. With this, I will be unstoppable!"

Shego allowed him a moment to laugh, as she got up to look in the crate. "Where do you think the instruction manual for it is?"

Drakken turned to glare at her. "Shego, bite your tongue. I have no need for an instruction manual."

She just looked up at him, her eyebrows arched. "Do you not remember the weather machine fiasco?"

Drakken just waved a hand at her, pressing a couple buttons on the chair. "Oh please, this is a chair I asked custom designed. And I am an evil genius… well, a genius anyways."

Mrs. Lipsky just continued to clean. "Of course you are Drewbie."

Drakken pushed another couple of buttons, a smile on his face. When nothing happened, he looked down at the controls, frowning. "Hmm… why won't this work?" He pushed the button again, and then hit the button, eventually pounding on it several times. "This should control the…"

The chair suddenly shot into the air, twisting about the control room, leaving Drakken to scream as he gripped the arms in a panic. Shego, instruction manual in hand, flipped through a couple of pages before tossing it aside. She leapt quickly into the air, grabbing onto the back of the chair and pressed a single button. With a start, the chair froze in mid-air, and slowly lowered to the ground.

Drakken was breathing heavily as Shego just walked back to the book lying on the ground. "Shego… just what did you do?"

"Geez Doc, if you'd just read the manual, it would solve so many problems."

"What's the commotion about here?"

Three heads turned to look as Steve Barkin and Ed Lipsky walked into the room. It was Mrs. Lipsky who answered. "Oh, Drewbie was just playing with his new wheelchair."

Ed took one look at the chair, and his eyes widened perceptibly. "Is that what I think it is? Seriously dude, is it? Oh man… a cyber-robotic chair! This rocks heavy Cuz, seriously!"

Shego just rolled her eyes, as she tossed Drakken the instruction manual. "I'll leave you boys to play with your new toy. I'm going to the gym to work out."

Shego left quickly, not even glancing back. Steve watched her take off, and just headed to his office. Drakken watched it all with interest.

Ed just glanced up, as he was inspecting the chair. "Dude, seriously, are they in a relationship or not. I know he's banging her…"

"Edward Harold Lipsky, you don't use that type of language."

Ed gulped as he looked down at the diminutive woman who glared angrily at him. "Umm… sorry Momma Lipsky, seriously. But I mean, he's… umm… making love to her, seriously, but they never do anything else. That ain't healthy, seriously!"

Gertrude Lipsky walked over beside her son, concern etched in her features. "He's right Drew. They never really talk, other than to argue. Maybe you should talk to them, see how you can help."

"Mother, I told them I wouldn't interfere again, not after the last time."

Gertrude just rolled her eyes. "But Drew, if you really do think of her like a daughter, you…"

Ed's eyes widened perceptibly. "Dude, seriously? That would mean me hitting on her would be like…"

"Eddie, what have I told you about interrupting people. It's rude!" She took a moment to glare at Eddie as he just looked down at the floor. "As I was saying, you should do everything you can to make them happy!"

"But Mother, I told them I wouldn't interfere. And anyways, if they don't want to talk, how am I… oh… hohohohoo… I think I have the most brilliantest idea ever!" Drakken wheeled over to the computer, looking for something. "And it only involves doing one thing, and they won't be able to help talking to each other honestly about what they feel."

"What's that Drew?"

Drakken just smiled. "An older invention of mine. I haven't had much use for it in some time, but if I can just track where I put it…" The computer beeped, and Drakken's smile widened. "Ah, I've found it. Eddie, you'll have to help me get it from storage room B."

Mrs. Lipsky just looked on as Drakken and Eddie headed for the storage room. "What are you going to do Drew?"

Drakken just paused a moment, glancing back at his mother with a broad grin on his face. "You know what they say, honesty's the best policy!"

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Drakken cast one last look at the monitor before he headed down the hallway. He paused at the door to the room Steve and Shego were sharing, grinning the entire time. Opening the door carefully, he peeked in, making sure that both of them were asleep still. Placing the gun-shaped in the claw of the chair's robotic hand, he shifted the controls, extending the arm carefully into the room. When it was but a few feet away, he pressed a button, and the claw depressed the trigger. A yellow beam shot forth, enveloping both of them as they lay in bed.

Drakken retracted the arm quickly as Steve stirred in his sleep, and when the claw was fully out of the room, he shut the door gently. As Drakken returned to his room, the smile on his face was immense.

_Tomorrow is going to be VERY interesting! _

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Author's Notes – I know, I'm leaving Ron, Bonnie, and Tara in SSS's lair, but I had to do another flashback. I don't think anyone will mind too much!


	18. Chapter 18

I don't own, Disney does. Be sure to check out The Distraction, by Spectre666. A great read, that everyone should check out!

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Recovery – Chapter 18

Shego awoke slowly, stretching out to luxuriate in the feel of the blankets around her. Sliding out of bed slowly, so as to not awaken Steve, she slid on a robe and made her way to the kitchen. The base was quiet right now, something she was thankful for, and she quickly made her way to the coffee maker. Pouring some water in the top, she started it up, and sat down at the table to wait for it to finish.

Steve came in just as it was finishing. Considering he was always up early, she doubted it was her movements that had awoken him. He smiled, and sat down at the table. He gave a half smile, already wide-awake. "Morning. Sleep well?"

"I always sleep great next to you."

Shego's eyes widened as she realized what she had said, and even Steve gave pause at that. While she did indeed enjoy sleeping next to him, holding him close, telling him that was just way out of character for her. She decided the best route would be to change the subject quickly. "You want some coffee, it's almost ready?"

"Sure, even though you usually forget to change the filter and it tends to give me heartburn."

They both paused again, looking at each other intently, her hand frozen just inches from the pot. Slowly, she pulled away from it, and began inching away. "I… I'm just going to go back to my room and get changed."

Steve rose to his feet as well, backing away quickly. "I should hit the pool, before I have to get to class."

The two left the room quickly, bolting away. It was all Drew could do to keep from laughing as he watched it all on the monitor in his room.

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Steve wandered the halls as the school was just opening up. Not many students came in this early, but he liked to keep a tight rein on the ship early, and keep it that way. He spied a couple of students coming down the hall now, Felix Renton and Katherine Adams. The pair had been almost inseparable the whole year, working on various projects in the science lab. Considering they were dating as well, he kept a close eye on them on occasion, just to ensure that work was all they were doing.

He nodded at the pair, as they started heading by. "Renton, Adams."

Felix just smiled as they headed past. "Hey Mr. Barkin, how are you today."

"Feeling pretty weird about a conversation with my girlfriend this morning, but fine otherwise."

The words were out of his mouth before he had realized it, and he looked up quickly from his binder. Felix and Katherine were also looking at him strangely. "Sir?"

"Go on your way!" Steve headed quickly for his office, shutting the door behind him. He took a deep breath, wondering what just was going on. He ran the possibilities through his head, but nothing seemed to fit, not until he started considering a few outrageous possibilities.

_No… that's not possible, it's locked up in storage. And how…_

His eyes widened, and his teeth clenched. "My name is D-D-D-Dr-Steve. I am a little g-g-g- big man. I l-l-l-l-l…"

His eyes steeled, as he knew just what had to have happened. "Drakken!"

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Shego was lounging in the conference room, filing her nails, also pondering why she had said the thing she had that morning. It didn't make any sense, and wondered if maybe she was letting her guard down just a little too much. She looked up briefly when Mrs. Lipsky walked through the door, before turning back to the task at hand.

"Dear, you really shouldn't lean back like that, it's not good for your back."

Shego just looked up from what she was doing. "I find it comfortable."

Gertrude Lipsky just smiled, and turned back to the computer monitor, cleaning them off. "So dear, just how do you feel about that boyfriend Steve of yours? He's such a nice boy."

"Well, he gets on my nerves no and again, but I MMffmmmfff…"

As soon as she realized she was actually answering the older woman's question, Shego clamped a hand over her mouth. She glared at the older woman, and when she knew she wasn't going to talk any more, she removed her hand from her mouth. "You knew I was going to answer you, didn't you? What did you… no… not you, Drew!"

Mrs. Lipsky dropped her cloth, turning to face her with an obvious look of concern and sympathy. "He was only trying to help you two kids along. He cares about you, and he wants you to be happy. Please don't be mad at him."

Shego ignored her, as she practically ran for the door. She knew just where he was, and nothing was going to interfere.

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Steve Barkin quickly called the principal over the phone, telling him that he had to leave for the day to deal with a situation at home. Thankfully, he didn't give the man time to ask what the problem was, before he hung up, or else he'd completely blow his cover, with only a couple months remaining on his current assignment. Grabbing his things, he made quickly for his car, heading back to the compound.

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Drew had barely received the warning from his mother before her heard her approaching. The door was thrown open to the hanger, and there stood Shego, resplendent in her anger, her hands glowing profusely.

"DRAKKEN!"

Ed stuck his head out from under the jet, catching a glimpse of her. "Cuz, you are toast, seriously!"

Drew just turned to look at her, a sheepish grin on his face. "Now Shego, I thought I told you…"

"You used a bloody truth ray on me?" She stalked towards him, as he sat there, and he watched the plasma dancing up her arms.

Drew raised his hands defensively, as she towered over him. "I… I just wanted to help. You know, push along your relationship with our Mr. Barkin."

She leaned forward, her eyes blazing. "I thought I told you to stay OUT of my relationship."

"I'm not… I mean…"

"God, if you weren't hurt, if you weren't like a father to me, I wo…"

Shego clamped a hand over her mouth, halting whatever would come out of her mouth next, but it was already too late. Drew's eyes widened perceptibly, and even Ed came out from beneath the jet to stand by him.

"Do… do you really think of me that way? Like… like a father?"

Shego kept a hand clamped over her mouth, her other fist clenched before her. Finally, after a few moments, she gave up. "Yes God damn it, I do. Are you happy now?"

Ed just grinned, nudging Drew on the shoulder. "Dude, good thing I didn't score with her. Man, that would have been like incest then, seriously!"

She turned quickly to glare at him, both hands lit furiously. "You, you I have absolutely no problem hurting!" Plasma flared, and shot from both hands, catching Ed right in the chest. He flew back into the far wall of the hanger, and slumped to the floor, groaning the whole way down.

Drew placed a hand on her arm, but she pulled away quickly. "Shego… Susan… I care about you too. I think of you as the daughter I never…"

"SHUT IT!" She stepped away from him, one hand gripping her head, tugging at her hair, the other by her side, still glowing. "JUST… JUST SHUT UP! I'm… I'm getting out of here, until this wears off."

He rolled forward, hoping to stop her. "Shego, where…"

A fiery finger was just an inch from his face, and he halted quickly. "You… no more talkee! I'll be back when this wears off, and not a moment before. And when I get back, we are going to have a VERY long talk."

With that, she climbed into the jet and shut the canopy, silencing any chance Drew had to ask any further questions. He backed away as it started up, and sighed as she took off quickly. This was not going nearly as well as he hoped it would.

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Steve Barkin was just in time to see the jet taking off, when he drove up to the building. He almost plowed through the reinforced garage door in his haste to get in. As he got out of the car, he saw Drew looking off through the open hanger door, with Ed Lipsky slumped to the floor.

"Drew, what the hell were you thinking with that bloody truth ray of yours. You could very well have compromised security with your little stunt."

Drew seemed almost dazed as he turned to the larger man. "Sorry… I was… I was just trying to help…"

"Where is Susan going? I assume that was her that just took off a moment ago."

Drakken glanced back at the doors, his expression wistful. "Not sure, she didn't let me ask. I assume somewhere to hide out until the effects wear off. I really had hoped you two could talk and work everything out."

Steve turned then, heading for the command room. "I'm going to find Susan, and deal with this situation. There's a tracking device in the jet that should make it easy to find her. But when I get back, we are going to discuss your actions of late, and the consequences thereof."

Drew just vaguely nodded as Steve pushed past Mrs. Lipsky on his way to the control room. She approached her son slowly, trying to see if he was all right. "Drewbie?"

Drew just looked up at her, a smile on his face. "I'm fine mother. I just… I never expected that."

She leaned down, hugging her son tightly. "Oh, I am so happy. She does care for you, just like you care for her."

They held each other for some time, content to stay that way, only interrupted when Eddie woke up.

"Dude, did someone catch the license on that big rig that hit me? Seriously!"

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Shego engaged the VTOL, and landed deftly on top of the tower. She hadn't planned on coming back here this soon, but it had been a few months, and it wouldn't hurt to crash somewhere she could be half-way comfortable. Plus, who would ever think to look for her with her brothers in Go City!

Mego stood by the entrance as she disembarked, leaning against the doorway as he watched her. "Hey sis, kind of surprised to see you. Barely heard from you the last few months, not since we got back. You're looking as sour as ever."

She made her way to him, staring him down, and he grew distinctly uncomfortable. "Listen up, because I'm only going to say this once. I am going to be staying here until tomorrow, and I will be in my room the entire time. You will not bug me, you will not disturb me, you will not ask me questions. You will put my supper in front of the door, and then leave, and then tomorrow, we will have a brief visit before I head home. Got me?"

Mego just chuckled softly. "Sounds like you're hiding out from the cops or something."

"No, just my boyfriend, because I got hit with a truth ray, and I…"

Shego clamped a hand over her mouth, and he could hear the quiet mutterings as her mouth continued to talk against her wishes. When she was sure that she wasn't going to say anything further, she held up a single, glowing hand, and waved in menacingly in his face. "Don't. Say. Anouther. Word!"

Mego just nodded, swallowing hard. "Umm… same rules for Henry?"

"YES!" Shego stalked through the doors, and Mego breathed a sigh of relief, glad that she had decided not to beat him soundly, considering the obvious mood she was in. It looked like it was going to be an interesting visit.

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"Damn, she's disabled all the tracking devices! She could be anywhere right now."

Drakken rolled up behind Steve, glancing up at the monitors. "No trace of her anywhere, huh? You seem pretty determined to find her, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am, and that better be the last question you ask me while this damn ray is affecting me."

Drew smiled, turning back to Steve. "I have just one question, and then I'll tell you where she would go."

Steve glared back, but the smile on Drew's face never wavered. Finally, he sank into the seat, and rolled his eyes. "Fine, ask your question."

"It's very simple… why are you trying to find her so desperately, considering the circumstances? Wouldn't it be simpler to wait until the effect wears off?"

Steve sighed, checking around to make sure no one else was around. "Because… because we have a lot of things unresolved, I hate having things unresolved, and it's been driving me nuts. She never talks about anything, and while I'm normally one to keep quiet myself, I need to know just where this relationship is going. Because I'm in love with her, and I need to know if she feels the same way about me!"

Drew just nodded, his broad smile almost disarming. "Thank you. Now, considering she didn't pack anything, including money, where would she go?"

Steve groaned. "If I knew that, I wouldn't be so frustrated right now, now would I?"

"But where would she also go that none of us would expect her to? A place where she could be comfortable, have everything she needed, and the security to keep anyone from disturbing her, including a couple of highly trained bodyguards?"

Steve's eyes widened in realization, and he rose to his feet quickly. "Go City… her brothers!"

Drew just grinned, moving out of the way. "Good luck Agent Barkin. Have a good trip."

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Author's Notes – Full flashback here, just because I'm having fun with it, and a bit more next chapter as well. Never fear though, we get back to the main story as well next chapter.


	19. Chapter 19

I don't own, Disney does. Sorry for all the delays folks, but life has been hectic lately. Never fear, in the next week, everything that I am writing will be updated at some point.

Also, be sure to check out Glitched Sitch by JimVincible, an excellent read that is not getting anywhere near the attention it deserves.

Finally, I want to thank EVERYONE who reads and enjoys my writing. I just got my 100th person to add me to their fav authors list. That is simply unbelievable! Thank you, everyone!

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Recovery – Chapter 19

Steve Barkin watched as Go Island slowly approached. The wind blew back his hair, as he pushed the little motor boat to it's maximum, skimming across the waves. Normally, he would have taken the time to enjoy the moment, to feel the rush of speed, one of his few guilty pleasures. But his mind was focused on one thing and one thing only. Susan 'Shego' Go!

The dock was coming up quickly, but Steve didn't hesitate a moment. At the last second, he cut the power and turned the wheel hard. The sudden deceleration and turn caused the boat to spin momentarily, before settling and drifting back to park perfectly with the dock.

As he hopped up onto the dock, and headed straight for the front door of Go Tower, his purpose clear. When he had first headed out, he didn't know what he was going to say, or what he was going to do. But the truth ray helped with that as he sounded out his thoughts to himself, unable to hide what he had been repressing, what he had been hiding from even himself.

He loved her! As strange and as unbelievable as that was, he loved Susan, the dark haired, sassy, smart-mouthed, former criminal. Never in a million years, when he had started this assignment, would he have thought something like that possible, but there it was, plain as day, shining so brightly that even he couldn't deny it any longer. Now, he just had to find out if she felt the same way. It was the only explanation for why she had run like that. At least, he hoped it was the only reason.

He pounded quickly on the door, waiting impatiently for someone to answer. He knew Susan wouldn't answer herself, and after a few moments, debated about breaking past the doors security system himself. He had already started working the panel opened when the door suddenly slipped open.

Henry 'Hego' Go stuck his head out the door, looking down at the crouching Steve as the older man tried quickly to replace the panel. "Can I help you, or can we move right to the butt kicking?"

Steve stood up, glaring back at the slightly taller man. "My name is Agent Steve Barkim with Global Justice. I'm here to see Shego because I need to talk to her."

Hego gave a half grin, as his hand involuntarily rose to his left eye, and Steve noticed for the first time that it was somewhat swelled up and darkening. "I don't think my sister would be interested in talking to you right now."

Steve smirked right back. "Let me guess, you asked her a question?"

Hego frowned at the fact this uninvited guest seemed to be finding amusement at his expense. "I just asked her what she wanted on her pizza." Hego looked Steve over, sizing him up. "Since we are not, or have not been affiliated with GJ, I don't think…"

He was cut off as Mego stepped in front of his older brother, shaking his head. "Don't mind Henry. So, you're here to see Shego?"

"Yes, I am. It is very important that I talk with her immediately."

Mego took his turn sizing up Steve, nodding as if in consent. "So you're the new boyfriend. Must be something special to her if she's acting this way."

Both Steve and Hego could only stare at Mego, as the younger man just smirked back. It was Hego who responded first. "Do you seriously believe THIS man could be seeing our sister?"

Steve turned to argue, but Mego was there first. "Oh please Henry, and people call me self-absorbed. This is the exact same thing she pulled with Jason when they had a fight or something. She'd retreat to her room and sulk until she was ready to hear an apology. I figured the first one here would be the boyfriend. Of course, there is one way to be sure." Mego smiled as he looked back at Steve. "So tell me, when was the last time you wet the bed?"

"I was twenty, the guys in my bunk at West Point…" Steve clamped a hand over his mouth, glaring angrily at Mego.

Mego ignored it, waving his hand at him. "See, he's hit with the truth ray too."

Steve had had enough, and pushed past the pair of them, almost knocking Mego on his butt.

"Hey, careful with the hair! You know how long it takes to get my hair just right like this?"

Steve paused, and smiled back at him. "Any minute you spend on it is a waste of time. If I had the inclination, I'd take a set of clippers to it and give you a proper hair cut."

Mego backed away defensively when Steve almost stepped forward, before turning and heading into the building. "Oh yeah, he's definitely dating sis."

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Steve made his way down the hallway, pausing at each door trying to determine if this might be the one he wanted. It didn't take long to realize that they had been colour coordinated to match the resident when it came to personal quarters. He stood in front of the door to Susan's room, taking a few deep breaths for what he knew would be a difficult conversation. It was never a good thing when a guy had to share his feelings, especially when he had to do so with complete and total honesty. But this was something he just had to do. She was worth it!

He knocked lightly on the door, waiting for some kind of response. He didn't wait long.

"Henry, if you ask me one more bloody question, you won't be able to sit down for a week!"

"Susan, it's me."

Silence pervaded, and he wondered if she had even properly heard him.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"I came here to talk to you, to tell you how I feel, and to find out how you feel, no matter how uncomfortable I am sharing my emotions." Steve groaned slightly, frustrated at the total honesty, yet knowing he would need it here. "Look, can you at least let me in so we can talk."

"Sorry, can't talk right now, but if you leave a message, I'll get back to you at my earliest convenience… in about..."

"Susan…"

"Sorry, kinda busy right now Stevie, doing my…."

Steve just glared at the door. "I don't care how busy you are, I'm coming in, and we are going to talk, whether we like it or not." He tried the knob, but it wouldn't turn. Bracing himself, he slammed his shoulder into it, trying to jar the door open, again, to no avail. Finally, he backed up, and charged right for the door in a full-blown tackle.

He bounced off the door, and flew back into the wall behind him. He could hear Susan laughing the entire time, and he was just thankful, somewhat anyways, that she had not just seen the show he had put on.

Finally, he heard the laughter settle down. "You are not that bright sometimes, aren't you? This tower was built with superheroes in mind, specially reinforced. I doubt Henry could put much of a dent into that thing."

Steve put a hand on the door and sighed. "Fine then, if you don't want to talk, you'll listen. Susan… I love you!"

Steve let that profession hang there, hoping for some reaction, but silence was his only response. With a deep sigh, he pressed on.

"I don't know why I love you, I mean… you're rude and you're crude. You eat all my favourite cereal, you're violent, you get on my nerves, you flirt with other guys, you drive me insane!"

Steve leaned back against the wall, his eyes closing as he took a deep breath. "But there is just so much about you, so much that makes me feel I'd be lost without you. The way your hair smells, the way you smile that quirky smile when you see something funny on television, the way you roll your tongue when we kiss and when you…" Steve clamped a hand over his mouth, muffling what he was going to say, not wanting anyone else to chance hearing the details of their sex life.

When he wasn't certain he had gotten that confession out of his system, he removed his hand. "The thing is, even just a couple months ago, I never imagined myself feeling this way about someone like you, someone who spent years as a criminal and a thief. But now… now I just can't imagine not being without you. You are smart and beautiful and funny and I just want to be with you. In fact, I'm kind of glad Drakken did this to us, because it gave me a chance to tell you all this, when I was afraid to say anything before. I didn't know how you felt, and I still don't, but that doesn't matter anymore. If you want me to go, I will, and we'll never talk about this again. I just… I just had to say something. I had hoped…"

His eyes snapped open when he heard the door open slowly, and he saw Susan standing there in just her bathrobe, a few tears running down her cheeks. Steve straightened up when he saw her, and she made a motion for him to stop.

"Steve, I… I love you too, I do. I just… after Jason got killed, I tried to shut that part of myself off, to keep anyone from getting close to me again. I knew I could never go through that kind of thing again, it would hurt to much. But I… as much as I've tried to stop myself, I just can't. I love you, for God only knows what reason."

Their eyes locked at that moment, and tears were evident in both of them as they rushed forward together, locking tightly into an embrace. Their lips met feverishly and passionately, dancing in a battle neither wanted to lose, yet neither wanted to end. Slowly, the feverish pace ended, and the kiss became lighter, their immediate desires satiated for the moment. Slowly, almost carefully, they parted.

Susan looked up at Steve, giving him that quirky smile she knew he liked. "But you know, as much as you want to thank Dr. D. for this, we are still going to have to punish him."

Steve grinned, just happy to have her in his arms. "I take it you have something in mind?"

Susan started pulling him back into her room. "Well, it depends on what kind of connections you have. But let's talk about that later."

Steve's grin widened, and he quickly shut the door behind him. When the door clicked, Michael finally re-sized himself back to normal. He was smiling broadly as he headed back to the lounge. Henry was just coming back in as well, pizzas in hand, though he didn't look as happy.

"They never keep the pizzas warm enough."

Michael just groaned, having had explained this to him a hundred times at this point. "Come off it, they have to bring it by boat, what do you expect? Besides, I like Go City Pizza just fine cold, and they're the only ones who will deliver out to the island."

Henry just shook his head, as he sat down on the couch, dropping the pizzas onto the table. "Well, I hope Susan likes pepperoni on her pizza, because that's what I got her. Is she going to come down and eat with her boyfriend, or do we have to drop the pizza off in front of her door?"

Michael smiled, opening up his pizza. "Oh, I don't think we'll be seeing sis for a while. I think… Henry, what have I told you, I don't like sausage, it gives me gas. Now what am I going to eat?"

Henry just rolled his eyes, and pushed their sister's pizza to him. "Oh settle down, no need to have a fit. Just have this one." He took a bite of his, winced as it was luke warm, and rose to go heat his pizza up. "So… what do you think of this Steve Barkin? You think they'll work out or whatever. Because if he makes her unhappy…"

"Oh settle down, Sis can take care of herself." He smiled slightly as he bit into a slice. "Besides, I think it just might work out with those two."

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Steve awoke at the first beep of the alarm clock, slapping the off button quickly, so as not to wake the person beside him. It didn't help though, as he quickly found an arm around his chest, pulling him in closer. He grinned, running his hand up the arm, and tracing his way back to the sinuous form behind him. She leaned up slightly, kissing him lightly on the neck.

"Good morning to you too."

Steve tried to get up, but she kept a grip on him. "Do you have to go into work today, it's too nice a day not to be in bed."

Steve turned slightly to look into her brilliant green eyes. "I think you have that a bit backwards. Besides, who would be around to keep order if I'm not there and give out detention?"

Susan rolled her eyes, but finally relented after he gave her a few quick kisses. "Fine, but get back here right after. I think I might need some… attention before we head off to Spain tomorrow for… what was that about anyways?"

"Terrorist cell that needs to be stopped."

Susan pouted playfully as he got up. "That's a shame, I was hoping we could spend some time on the beach. I know this great place at Costa Brava…"

Steve paused in getting dressed, as he considered it. "Well, we might have time if we wrap things up quickly."

Susan smiled at the victory, and got up, helping him with his tie. "Hmm… that's what I like to hear. You have time for breakfast?"

"I think I can make some time. Love you!"

Susan leaned up to kiss him softly. "Love you too you big lug. Now, let's grab some eats, I'm starved."

"I thought you wanted to stay in bed," he asked playfully.

Susan just shrugged, throwing on a robe. "Stomach had other ideas."

The pair walked arm in arm, out to the kitchen. Susan went straight for the coffee while Steve went to grab some bread and cereal from the cupboard. Within a couple minutes, they were back at the table. They were just about to dig in when they heard the sobbing.

Steve glanced worridly at Drew Lipsky, who was sitting at the far end of the table, his head in his hands, crying softly. "Did we leave him here all night?"

Susan sighed, and got up, moving beside Drew. "Hey Dr. D., have you learned your lesson yet?"

Drew raised his head, looking balefully into his former assistants eyes almost pleadingly. "I'm so sorry Shego, what I did was so wrong, and I'll never do anything like that again. When I think about how badly I could have hurt the two of you…"

"All right, that's enough." Shego rose quickly, opening a drawer behind her. She pulled out the remote, and pressed the button to turn it off. Instantly, Drew seemed to calm down. "I think you've earned a short break from the modulator."

Drew 'Drakken' Lipsky glared back through red-rimmed eyes. "Really Shego, is this really necessary, I've already told you…"

He paused when Susan waved the remote in his face, looking at him questioningly. Drew just looked away, holding his hands together. "I'll be good."

"You better be Drew."

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"Drew… DREW! Get your head out of your ass and fly properly!"

Drew awoke from his thoughts to see the ocean quickly approaching. He pulled up sharply, barely leveling out from the plunge to skim over the water. When he was sure they were safe, he looked at his companions. Kim was white-faced, completely pale, as she clutched the co-pilot's stick with both hands. He could hear her muttering about it not working, before he spared a glance back at his erstwhile partner. She was picking herself up off the floor, and was glaring quite evilly back at him, one hand already lit. Quickly, he hit the auto-pilot, and wheeled past her.

"Umm… I'm just going to… check… something."

He shot out of the cabin as quickly as he could, hoping that Shego would take the pilot's seat rather than come after him. He was most thankful that she did.

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Author's Notes – Well folks, I'm on a 4 days on, 4 days off schedule. Which means, no updates for 4 days, and then a flood (hoping my muse shows up those days) on my 4 days off. It seems to be with me today, so let's hope it stays with me all weekend!

And now, enough of the flashbacks, let's get back to Ron and the gang trapped at the Senior's island, as well as the rescue!


	20. Chapter 20

I don't own, Disney does. I know, I know, usually it's the person celebrating the birthday who receives the gifts. However, I have been very lax in updating with my current sitch, and thought people could use a gift. So I promise to spend as much time writing as I can this week. So first Recovery, pop off the next chapter of Eurotrip, and then hopefully hit on one or more of my long ignored other stories. Happy reading!

Check out Tales of the Awkward, by S-Chrome. K/R goodness, with just a hint of Ron/Bon to stir the pot.

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Recovery – Chapter 20

"So after I finished helping out in Paris, I decided to spend a little time to myself. After all, there is only so much a man can take before he must recharge fully."

Ron just nodded in response. "You have to know when to marinate."

Senior looked thoughtfully at Ron, before smiling. "Marinate… that is an interesting way of putting it. Yes, marination was in order. Monkey Fist's attack had been most brutal, and a clearing of the head was what was needed, after helping to sift through the rubble. Of course, Junior could not wait to get to the beach, as I am sure you can understand." Senior sighed deeply, taking a sip from his drink. "I do not understand where I have gone wrong with him. One moment, he is hatching his own evil scheme, the next, he is simply sitting by the pool, reading his magazines. I fear I have failed as a father."

Ron reached across the table, as best he could with his lower body entangled in metal coils, and patted Senior's hand. "Hey now, it's not your fault. Maybe he's just not meant to follow in your footsteps."

Senior nodded slowly. "Perhaps you are right. Still, it would have been nice to have seen him carry on my legacy after I passed. Maybe it is time to set him out into the world to make his own way."

Ron was going to respond when a loud, blaring alarm went off. Senior seemed nonplussed by it, simply pulling a remote from his pocket. With the press of a button, a large screen dropped down and activated. All could see the green and black jet as it set down on the beach.

Senior smiled, turning back to his 'guests'. "It appears Kim Possible has arrived, and she has brought company with her."

Ron just groaned, recognizing the jet. "Oh man, KP is gonna be so tweaked about now. If she was mad before, spending a few hours with Shego is really going to make her angry."

"Five minutes is all that's needed." Bonnie hadn't meant to say it that loud, but the cavernous room seemed to amplify the muttering.

"No matter." Senior rubbed his hands together. "Soon, I will face off with Kim Possible, my worthy adversary."

"Oh, oh, do the laugh. Please?" Three sets of eyes turned to Tara, and she just shrugged. "What? I've been checking out the old footage of past missions, and he does the best evil laugh out there. I just want to hear it for real."

Senior smiled and nodded. "Very well my dear, but it really is more of an evil snicker." Senior looked back up at the monitor, grinning evilly. "Soon, Kim Possible will be mine! Hmhmhmhmhmmm."

Tara just smiled, ignoring the looks she was getting. "See, what did I tell you, best evil laugh."

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Kim couldn't get out of the jet fast enough. The last hour of the trip had not been especially enjoyable. She still had no idea how Ron could consider Shego a friend, and she knew if she had to spend one more minute cooped up with her, recovering or no, she was going to lay a serious hurt on Shego.

Shego smiled broadly as she walked down the ramp, watching her young former foe stalking off quickly down the beach. "Aw come on Princess, just a hint? I promise, I won't repeat a single word of it to anyone."

Kim whirled quickly, glaring back at the older woman with a venom that would have stopped most grown men in their place. "My sex life is not up for discussion, especially with you."

"Oh come on, at least tell me that you are keeping little Ronnie happy. Well…" Shego's grin broadened, knowing she had the icing on the cake, "maybe not so little Ronnie. I mean, he does where baggy pants for a reason."

The look on Kim's face, as her eyes widened and her jaw dropped, were exactly what Shego was hoping for. The right cross that came from nowhere and drove her down to the rocks, wasn't. Shego looked up, blinking in surprise, as Kim Possible stood over her, a smug grin on her face. "Well, that felt better than I expected."

Shego wiped the back of her fist across her mouth, tasting the coppery tang of her own blood that spilt over into her mouth. Her eyes flashed, and she pushed herself to her feet, all trace of mirth now gone. "I was gonna go easy on you Princess, since you've been crippled and all, but if you can pull off that punch, I don't think I need to hold back at all with you."

Kim dropped quickly into a fighting stance. "You couldn't take me on your best day!"

Fire flared to life in Shego's hands. "Oh, you're going to regret saying that!"

Shego leapt, intent on slashing her younger opponent down quickly, but found herself halted only a few feet away. Metal coils wrapped around her waist, keeping her suspended a couple feet off the ground. Kim was also summarily grabbed and lifted. Shego pulled at the coils, but couldn't pry them loose.

She turned back to the plane's ramp, intent on zapping the one responsible. Her gaze fell on Drakken, who sat there calmly. "If you know what's good for you, you'll let me down right now!"

"Now Shego, are you forgetting why we are here?"

"I'm not forgetting, and I'll save Ron by myself, as soon as I teach this little bi…"

Drakken gave the coils a bit of a squeeze, cutting her off. "Now Shego, you know you shouldn't use such language. Besides, I think there is someone on the line who wants to talk to you."

Drakken looked uncomfortable, as her glare intensified, but she tapped the earpiece. "Yeah, what do you… I don't care what… the little bitch started… you wouldn't… fine, but you'll be answering for it when I get back."

Shego returned her glare to Drakken, and he slowly lowered her to the ground, depositing her beside Kim. She strode up to him, planting a finger into his chest. "If you EVER do that again…"

Drakken, knowing when to cut his losses, quickly backed up. "Understood. I'll be waiting in the plane."

Shego just headed back down the ramp as it closed, casting one last look at Kim. "One word, I swear, one word, and you're doing this on your own. Let's just get this over with."

Kim held back the smirk she felt creeping up. "Fine. I thought we'd rappel over the wall, then head through the ventilation shaft to get to…"

"You do that. I'll take the door."

Kim just shook her head, watching Shego walk straight to the door in the wall. "Shego, I really doubt he'd…"

The door opened without any fuss, and now it was Shego who stood there smirking.

"You do know he's probably got it booby trapped?"

Shego ignored her, and headed into the compound, walking as casually as she would if it was her own house. Kim followed behind, grumbling the whole way.

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Kim had the very bad feeling that this was all too easy. No pit traps, no self-activating lasers, no spinning tops of doom. Each door they came to was unlocked and accessible. While it was nice not to have to crawl through the ventilation shafts, especially considering how dirty many of them were, it didn't feel right to just waltz on in.

Finally, the two reached the main control room, and what she assumed was actually his living room as well. Kim gingerly pushed open the door, expecting almost anything. Seeing Ron, Tara and Bonnie seated pleasantly, though bound, as they wrapped up a light snack was not on the list.

Senior smiled as she slowly entered the room. "Welcome Kim Possible. Would you care for a beverage before we begin our duel?"

"What's your game Senor Senior Senior?"

"Are you sure? I have more of those juice boxes you were so fond of." Senior sighed as he saw the look on her face. "Very well," Senior bowed slightly before her, "we shall commence right to the villainous rant. You see, I knew of your condition, a most dishonourable attack on your person. Without an arch foe, villainy no longer was as enjoyable as it was before."

Shego, leaning against the doorway, cut in quickly. "You do know that you can only have one arch foe, and she was already taken."

Senior smirked slightly. "Yes, but you are no longer in the game. Anyways, as I was saying, the game lost its interest, so to speak. It did not have the same thrill without you there. So, I have bided my time, waiting for your eventual return. I wished to ensure you would return to the game, with as much drive as you had before. You and I will face off, one on one, and to the victor go the spoils."

Shego just smirked, planting herself into a nearby chair. "Sounds good to me. Feel free to smack the Princess around for me as well."

Kim glared at the dark haired woman, but turned her attention back quickly. "Then why capture Ron and the others?"

"Motivation my dear, nothing more. Win or lose, they are free to go. I just want to ensure you are back."

Kim shook her head briefly at the absurdity. "Fine, let's get this over with."

Kim knew she wasn't in the best condition for this. Her muscles were already aching from the day's activities, and she knew she had no endurance for any kind of a drawn out fight. There was also the matter of whether or not she had any power behind her strikes. Practice was one thing, but it gave no real indication of where she was. The moves were there, but it had been some time since her body performed them.

She eyed his cane warily. He made no motion to use it just yet, but she knew he could. Though he didn't exactly fight much, she knew he had skills, as his robberies during the X-Games had proved. She wasn't even sure if he truly needed the cane, other then as an eccentricity. She circled to his left slightly, watched him turn and noticed he did not present the cane in an offensive position. That didn't mean it wouldn't be brought into play as a defensive one, but it did set her mind at ease that he really did want to 'play by the rules'.

He lashed out faster than she expected, sweeping his leg low to knock her down. She jumped over it barely, and backed away. When she looked back, he was standing as he had been, right hand on the cane.

Kim had never felt as uncertain about a fight as she was now. Her body didn't react as fast as it should have. Even her breathing was already heavy, and she hadn't even really made a move yet. She had to end this fast, before he could wear her down.

She faked a kick with the right, felt him bring up the cane to block, but she hadn't put much energy into it. With his cane occupied, she drove her left hand forward, aiming for a palm strike to his chest, hopefully driving the breath from his lungs. He just backed up from it, and she barely felt the material of his shirt before he was on her.

He grabbed her offending wrist, and gave it a twist, sending her down to one knee. He gave it just a bit more, and Kim's teeth clenched at the pain. He wasn't smiling when she looked up at him, as if he knew just how difficult this was for her. Trusting muscles that she hadn't used, she did a short flip, keeping her caught arm straight to get out of the twist, and then went for the leg sweep.

He had anticipated that though, and jumped over her leg, lashing out with a short kick that sent her back into the wall. Kim struggled to rise, and saw him standing there again, almost nonplussed.

_This is going to take longer than I thought._

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Bonnie looked over at Ron, quickly becoming worried. She could hear his teeth grinding, could see the determined look in his eye. Before the fight, Senior hadn't bothered him in the least, but with every shot, Ron's brow creased further.

"Ron, it's going to be all right. You know that, right?"

"I know, I know, I just… if KP gets hurt…"

Bonnie opened her mind a bit, and could feel the anger radiating from him. His mind was a mass of confusion, and Bonnie couldn't make heads or tails of it, as his thoughts flowed like quicksilver. She tried projecting calming thoughts to him, through the link they shared, but they were lost in the maelstrom. She shut down the link, as the beginning of a headache started quickly, and was quite grateful that she had the control to do that now. She was also thankful that Ron was the only person who was that open mentally, to be able to be read like that, and that he was usually an upbeat guy. Having an open link like that with everyone would have been murder.

She glanced worriedly over at Tara, but she was intent on the fight, and hadn't noticed Ron's aggravation. Looking back at Ron, she could see his muscles flexing under the coils, could see the adrenaline pumping. She knew this wouldn't end well.

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Kim gasped for breath as she rose to her feet. She braced herself briefly, feeling unsteady, but smiled slightly as she saw Senior struggling similarly. She could see him putting more pressure on his cane, could see the beads of sweat on his forehead.

_Good, I think I'm getting to him. Now I just need another twenty minutes and he'll actually be tired._

She eyed her opponent, watching him move as she began to circle him again. _I have to end this faster, that's all there is too it. And there's only one way I can think to do that… make him think he has won._

Kim shot quickly towards Senior, flashing out with a right. As expected, he caught her arm again. Not giving him time to strike back, she went for the left cross to compliment it. Senior dropped the cane to grab her other arm now. In the position he had her, her arms were crossed and pressed tight. With an almost gentle motion, he pressed down on her arms, and Kim went to one knee, straining slightly.

Senior smiled slightly now, triumph seeping through. "It appears that I have won this round Ms. Possible."

Kim just looked up and smiled. "Sure seems that way, doesn't it?"

Senior looked at her perplexed, and was caught off-guard when she pushed up quickly, her hands twisting to grab his arms as she did so. With an inverted twist, Kim propelled herself up and over Senior's head, holding his arms as she did so. When she landed behind him, her grip was solid, and now it was his arms crossed and pressed tight to his chest, though Kim had the leverage of being behind him. It took only the slightest pressure on the back of his legs to force him to the floor.

Kim was gasping heavily, and she knew for sure that she had pulled something with that move, but she finally had him where she wanted him. "It looks like I win, Senor Senior Senior."

Senior chuckled softly, and nodded quickly. "Indeed, it appears you have. Well done Ms. Possible, well done. I shall promptly turn myself over to the autho…"

"Let go of my father!"

Kim gasped in shock as Junior plowed into her, driving her into the wall. The bigger man pressed one arm over her chest, and another across her neck. "I will not let you hurt him."

Kim didn't even see or hear Junior at this point though. All she could feel was his weight pressing on her, the pressure on her lungs and throat as she gasped for breath. Instead of the well-oiled and smooth skin of the young man, she felt course, hairy paws. Instead of the smell of lavender and chlorine, she could only smell wet hair and tree bark. As her eyes went wide from shock, she didn't see the chiseled body and perfectly groomed hair. All she could see was the hateful smile as he rained down hurt and pain. All she saw and felt was Monkey Fist.

Kim screamed!

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Senior pulled his son back, and Junior fell back surprised. "Junior, you must get out of here now."

"But Father, I did not do anything other than push her away." His eyes were wide as he looked at the terrified young teen, watching her slump to the floor with wide eyes and streaming tears. "Father… I… I did not mean to hurt her."

A terrible rending sound echoed through the room, the sound of metal tearing. Senior whirled quickly, could hear Bonnie plaintively crying for Ron to stop. But Senior could see the fire in the young man's eyes, could see the hate and anger there, bubbling to the surface. He had little time to act. Pressing the button on the controller to release Bonnie and Tara, he threw himself in front of his son, who still did not yet realize just what a fragile position he was in. He could hear his son's babbling even as Ron barreled down.

Senior didn't last two seconds before he was tossed away.

Ron blew right by, not even seeing Senior, his gaze locked entirely on the young man in front of him, the one that had caused Kim to cry out, the one that had hurt her. Nothing else mattered but stopping him from hurting her, nothing at all.

Junior had barely heard the low growl before the first shot caught him across the jaw. His mouth opened in shock and pain, but was prevented from even calling out by a kick to the stomach that drove him to the floor. Junior looked up terrified, as Ron's knee drove into his nose, throwing him back to the floor.

Ron leapt atop Junior, and began delivering blows across the entirety of the young man's body. Junior raised an arm to defend himself, to try and shield the blows, but Ron simply drove past the barrier. Now Junior did scream, as he felt his arm shatter from the blow Ron delivered.

Ron continued attacking, even as he felt something trying to slow him down. That impediment didn't last long either, as he tossed it to the side. All that mattered was making the one who hurt Kim pay. Something moved in front of him, blocking his view of his target. He prepared to batter it aside, like everything else, when the barrier cried out, begging him to stop, begging him not to hurt her. Ron tried to focus for a moment, wondering why something that was in the way would talk to him like that. The red haze faded slightly, and he noticed for the first time the blond hair and blue eyes. He backed up slightly, trying to take it in and understand what he was seeing. When he saw the terrified look on Tara's face, as she looked between him and his raised fist, the fire inside him died instantly.

Ron stumbled backward, and he could feel the bile rising in his throat. A groan sounded to his left, and that bile rose higher as he saw Bonnie, blood dripping from her split lip, as she lay motionless on the floor. Tara rose slowly now, keeping her hands in front of her. She tried to get him to meet her eyes, but his gaze was everywhere but.

"Ron? It's okay now… everything's fine…"

When Tara stood up though, Ron could finally see his own handiwork. He fell to his knees and quickly lost the contents of his stomach on the floor. Tara rushed to his side, and could feel him shaking, could hear his quiet mumblings, questioning what he had done.

Tara glanced around the room, and found things to be in a very bad state. Junior, Senior, and Bonnie all out, Kim huddled against the wall, and now Ron completely gone as well. She quickly grabbed Ron's Kimmunicator, signaling for Wade.

"Wade, we need help in here… it's bad!"

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Author's Note – Not exactly what people were expecting in this sitch, was it?


	21. Chapter 21

I don't own, Disney does. Make sure to check out Kim Possible: So The Drama: The Resolution by Jeriddian. It's his first story on the site, and man is it a good one! Action, drama, romance, everything you could want in a story!

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Recovery – Chapter 21

Doctor Adam Tanaskow sighed as he silently rewound the tape again. He had been going over the recordings from his session with all the members of Team Possible again and again, and knew that what he was going to suggest wasn't going to be received well.

There was a light knock at the door, one that he had been expecting, and he smiled lightly at Andrea Possible, who quickly moved into the room, shutting the door behind her, and sitting down across from him. "Hello Andrea, how are you doing?"

Andrea glanced out the window before turning back to him. "Not so good after hearing what happened."

"Have they already told you what happened?"

"I got the cliff notes version before I got word that you wanted to see me."

Adam rose from his seat, his hand gripping the tape recorder tightly. "At least this won't be a complete shock at least." He turned his back to her for a moment, his eyes cast downward. "It was what I feared would happen in this situation. I had hoped we would have more time to resolve the situation before Kimberly had gone back into the field, but that doesn't appear possible."

"Should I really be hearing this?" Andrea steepled her fingers in front of her, appearing uncertain. "I mean, if this involves their personal health…"

"I already received permission from all of them to discuss with you the details of our meetings." He turned back to her, smiling warmly. "You should be proud that you can inspire such confidence, I only wish half my patients would be so forthcoming."

Adam took his seat again now, his finger trailing over the play button. "Kimberly has not had a chance to address the trauma that was inflicted on her. While her physical rehabilitation has been, quite simply, remarkable, her mental rehabilitation has been… dragging. This episode in the lair of," Adam paused a moment, checking his notes, "Senor Senior Senior was only the most obvious expression of just how far she has yet to go. When I last talked to her, she had told me that she had been having nightmares, quite normal after an experience like this. Unfortunately, she has refused to address that as a problem, instead viewing it as something to just get over."

"As for Ronald… I have been looking over our previous discussions, back when the attack on Kimberly happened. Quite naturally, there was quite a bit of anger, both at himself and at Monkey Fist, for what happened."

"He always did try to take on too much of the bad responsibility himself."

Adam nodded. "As I said, fully understandable. I even thought his getting back into missions was a way to reconcile the guilt he felt. However, after a couple more informal meetings, I determined that this was simply a natural reassertion of his natural character, that desire to help others that is so prominent in Kimberly's character." Adam glanced down at the table now, reluctant to look up. "But I dropped the ball. I had assumed some natural over-protectiveness when Kimberly awoke, but I didn't take into account the build-up within him. I never even noticed how much of that anger he was holding in. I thought he was coping well, even Amy remarked how well Ronald was able to restrain himself when he attended sessions with her, letting her stumble and try, being there to help her up, rather than trying to carry her. I never suspected just how much rage he might have had inside him."

"It was that bad?" Andrea was shocked, as that was something she had never suspected either.

Adam nodded, setting the tape to a specific point. "Here's a bit from Tara's story."

_"… and then he just ripped himself free from the wall. I mean, it shouldn't have been possible! Those were titanium tentacles and he just pulled himself free in seconds. I… I just… when Ron tore into Junior, he just… I never thought… when he knocked Bonnie aside, I was scared. He never would have hurt her in his right mind. When I got between him and Junior, I thought… I've never been scared of Ron, EVER, before that moment. Just the look in his eyes…and he kept hitting Junior, over and over an…"_

"Oh God…"

"Like I said, I dropped the ball on this one Andrea. Ronald, to me, seemed like he had recovered."

"You couldn't have known he would be able to do something like this. I've known Ron since he was a child, and I never thought he could do something like this. What about Junior? Did they say…"

"Broken arm, two ribs, as well as a shattered jaw, nose, and eye socket. He'll be eating through a straw for a while, but he will recover. I think you should hear Ron's account though, I think that is the most telling. Adam quickly pressed play again, having listened to them several times already and knew where he needed the tape.

_"I… I didn't want to hurt him like that. Just… when I heard KP scream like that… I just… I just remembered Monkey Fist and… oh God…"_

_"Ronald, just tell me what happened, as you remember it."_

_"I… I don't remember hitting him at all. I just… I remember how scared Tara looked, like I was waking up and there she was. Oh man, I've never seen her so scared. That was when I saw what was going on around me… the blood on my hands… and Bonnie… I just… I couldn't take it. I think I threw up, and I could hear Tara calling for help. I think it was Shego who picked me up… I don't know, I don't think Tara could have lifted me… she probably woke up quick after Bonnie was… after I threw Bonnie into her. Oh man, how are they ever going to forgive me for this."_

_"Ronald, your friends care about you, you know that."_

_"And you know what really sucked, that made this whole thing even worse? It was the look on Senior's face. I mean, when we were flying to Spain to get Junior looked at, he just… he just looked at me. He wasn't even angry or mad or anything, he just… he looked… disappointed. Like I had let him down. Isn't that just stupid, feeling bad because a villain is disappointed?"_

"I wondered why Ron wasn't sitting with them when I came in, he was standing off in the corner. He wouldn't even look up when I tried to talk to him."

"I'm afraid that would be because of the guilt he is feeling. I've told him that what happened was not his fault, and I know his friends have talked to him already, but… well…"

_"… I raised my hand to my hair, to get it away from my face, and Tara flinched. Oh God, she actually flinched! What kind of monster am I?"_

Andrea felt like crying as she heard Ron's plaintive wail on the tape. "Ron, oh…"

"I know it's hard. If you'd like to stop…"

Andrea shook her head quickly. "No, just… can you tell me about Kim now?"

Adam nodded, putting down the tape player for a moment. "Kimberly is expressing all the symptoms of classic denial. She refuses to accept there is even a problem. She has essentially cut herself off from any help for herself and is directing all her attentions to helping Ron cope with what he has gone through. Let me show you."

Adam's hand went out to the recorder one final time, depressing the play button.

_"Kimberly, you had a full blown panic attack. Both Tara and Bonnie have told me that you were practically catatonic up until you reached the hospital in Barcelona."_

_"I'm fine, really. It was no big. Junior just caught me off guard, that's all. If I had seen him coming…"_

_"If you had seen him coming, then you would have been fine, but you didn't, did you?"_

_"Why is this such a big deal? Whatever is wrong, I'm sure it will be fine in a little while. I really should get back to Ron, I've never seen him like this."_

_"Kimberly, he's fine. He was with both Tara and Bonnie when I last saw him. The issue now is helping you."_

_"But I keep telling you that I'm fine!"_

_"……Kimberly, when he grabbed you… what went through your mind?"_

_… _

"_Kimberly?"_

"You can see why we might have a problem, don't you?"

Andrea nodded slowly. "So… what can we do for her?"

"I have several ideas, but I'll wait till we wrap up here to discuss them with everyone involved. But now do you understand why I brought you in to hear this?"

"I figure you wanted to have me implement some kind of program at home that…" Andrea's voice trailed off as she noticed her colleague shaking his head.

"Andrea, that's not what I'm talking about. I know you minored in psych back in med school. We've talked about this before."

Andrea hung her head, almost ashamed. "You didn't have to beat me over the head with it all Adam."

Adam gave a bit of a wry grin. "You're a little too stubborn for most other methods."

Andrea glanced up, returning his grin with one of her own, much more subdued though. "You want me to address my own denial and guilt over what happened, because you don't feel I've addressed all of it."

"At least you can admit to yourself that you needed help when you first came to me four months ago."

"I know, it's just… I'm her mother. If I had said something when things went beyond babysitting and rescuing cats from trees…"

"She might have resented you for it. Yes, maybe you should have said something, but that doesn't make you responsible, not then, and definitely not now. All you can really do is help her to make the right choices, and hope that you have taught her everything she'll need for the future. I don't think Kimberly will ever give up helping people, even after all of this. And quite honestly, I'm not sure I would want her to. If it wasn't for her, we could all be mind-controlled puppets or monkeys swinging through the trees."

Adam rose from his seat now, gazing down at his vulnerable colleague. "The best thing you can do for Kimberly and Ronald is be there for them when they are ready to talk. I can schedule sessions until I'm blue in the face, but I doubt Kimberly would open up to me. You are in a unique position, not many teens feel as comfortable talking to their parents about what bothers them as Kimberly seems to be with you. Be there for her. And… you might want to talk with her about what you have been through these last few months, her and Ronald both. It might allow them a perspective they are lacking right now, if they know that you have been having similar problems, and have gone to someone yourself for help."

Andrea brushed a small tear away. "Thanks Adam, I'll… I'll think about what you have said."

"That's all I ask." He glanced over to the door, where he knew four very impatient teens were waiting. They had been there since returning, when the hospital in Barcelona had informed them that they were being dropped off. Though there were no real injuries, other than a possible black eye for Bonnie, but the emotional trauma was more than enough consideration to have the teens handled immediately upon returning.

Opening the door, Adam motioned for Andrea to precede him. "Come on, let's have a talk with those kids."

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"WHAT? You can't be serious!"

"I think it would be best, for the short term, to…"

"No, I'm not quitting, and that's the end of it."

Andrea moved closer to her daughter, her expression serious. "Kim, you have to look at…"

"But I'm fine, seriously! It was just a minor glitch, and I'm fine now."

Dr. Tanaskow shared a glance with Andrea. "Kimberly, it is not a minor situation. And I'm not talking about having you quit. All I'm asking is that you and Ronald take a break from missions for now, let Bonnie and Tara handle them until the situation has been dealt with."

"I can't believe this. And you agree with him Mom?"

"Yes hon, I do."

Kim looked imploringly to Ron for backup. "Ron?"

Ron wouldn't meet her gaze, his eyes cast downward. "KP… I… I think he's right."

The look of betrayal on Kim's face cut through Ron like a knife when he glanced up. "Why… why would you…"

"Kim, did you see what I did to Junior? Did you? I… I never want to do something like that again. I… I think we need to take a little break… just for now."

"But Ron…"

"Kim, did you see the look in Tara's eyes when I just raised my hand to brush my hair away?"

Tara stepped closer, noting the fear in Ron's voice. "Ron, I…"

"I know, I know, but… please KP… for me, just for a little while."

Kim could see the naked fear in his eyes. She had never heard such a pleading tone in his voice before, and it rocked her back. Slowly, she sank back into her seat. "All right, just… just for a little while."

Ron sat down beside her, and she quickly wrapped her arms around him. When Tara placed a hand on his shoulder, he jumped, looking up at her, but she only smiled, and he forced himself to relax.

Adam Tanaskow allowed them a moment, before pressing on. "I'd like to schedule several follow-up appointments after school for both of you, and maybe Bonnie and Tara as well." When they all nodded, he continued. "As for treatment, I am honestly not sure. This isn't your typical situation. Ronald should be able to naturally heal, with enough time and counseling. In your situation Kimberly, the optimum solution would normally be to perform similar therapy as you would with someone suffering a phobia, to help you get past this point of contention in your mind. It would be something that would also help Ronald progress faster as well, seeing you coping with a similar situation. Unfortunately, I don't think something like that would be feasible. The optimum situation would be one where Kimberly would be dealing with a stranger or enemy, yet a person that Ronald trusts to help him cope, and I don't think we could find someone like that."

A small chuckle escaped Bonnie that turned everyone to look over at her. "Oh come on, isn't it obvious?"

Most looked to her with confusion, leaving Tara to speak. "Bonnie, I don't think you…"

"No, not me. Think about it. Someone Kim considers an enemy and doesn't like at all, yet someone that Ron trusts."

Ron smiled now, understanding filtering through. "Oh… you are so right. She would be perfect! Plus, she'd be strong enough to… to stop me if I… freak again."

Bonnie just gave a self-satisfied smirk. "Like I said, a perfect situation."

Kim just shook her head vigorously. "Uh uh, no way. I am NOT asking HER for help."

"Oh come on, it's perfect!"

Dr. Tanaskow just looked on in confusion, still not grasping what everyone else had. "Who are you talking about?"

Kim cast a disgusted look across the group, noting they all seemed in agreement, before turning back to Dr. Tanaskow. "Shego."

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Author's Notes – Oh, now isn't this going to be fun! After all this drama though, it's time for a bit of humour to lighten the mood, so stay tuned for the next chapter.


	22. Chapter 22

I don't own, Disney does. I apologize for any glaring errors, I'm stuck using Wordpad right now. Had to shudder delete my C drive (thankfully not where I store my fanfiction) and my CDs are with my brother a few hours away. Won't stop me from writing though. Be sure to check out Something to Live For by yvj. It's a powerful piece that is sure to rend a few hearts.

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Recovery – Chapter 22

"Are you serious?" Shego sat back, an incredulous look on her face. She didn't believe Ron when he had asked her over the phone, and just had to get all the details in person.

"Ron, I told you she wouldn't help." Kim turned her head away, showing little of the relief that she felt that Shego seemed to be turning them down. She picked up her burrito, taking a quick bite. Surprisingly, Bueno Nacho was pretty empty right now, considering it was only an hour after school, but that suited Kim just fine considering the nature of this meeting.

"KP, we need her help." When Kim didn't respond, Ron turned back to Shego, meeting the ex-villainess's gaze. "Shego, why won't you help? If this is about how you and Kim..."

"I didn't say I wouldn't help." Shego leaned forward, smiling predatorily. "I just want to get something straight here. You two..."

"I'm not exactly sold on this idea myself."

Shego ignored Kim's outburst, smiling at Ron. "So you are giving me permission, with full doctor's permission on top of it, that at times of my own choosing, I can attack Princess here free and clear, so long as you are there as well. I can't do any lasting harm, but I get to mess her up a bit. And this is what your therapist has recommended?"

Ron shrugged. "Pretty much."

Shego sat back in satisfaction. "Oh, there is a god up there and he really does love me now."

"Don't enjoy it too much." Kim was leaning forward now, glaring across the table at Shego. "Just because we're giving you permission to attack me doesn't mean I can't defend myself and kick your bony butt when you make your lame attacks."

Ron could feel the tension at the table climb by a factor of ten. "Umm... ladies..."

"Bony? You're one to talk Ms. No Chest!"

Ron glanced worridly at Kim, trying to wrap his arm around her. "KP, I don't think..."

"At least I don't worry about beating myself to death just doing a backflip!"

Ron just groaned, sinking back into his seat. He should have known something like this would happen when the two of them got together again. His only hope was that they didn't decide to just go at it here in the restaurant. He really didn't want to have to apologize to Ned for the mess.

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"Are we almost done yet? We only have anouther thirty minutes before Kim is going to get home."

"I'm working as fast as I can. You know how long it took us to sneak that generator program into her computer. I just hope she doesn't find the new network connection on her computer."

Jim sat back in his seat, watching as Tim worked furiously at the keyboard, his fingers flying. "I still can't believe we're going through all this trouble just to hack into her diary again."

Tim shrugged. "Well, considering how much she upped her protection levels from before, there has to be something really juicy on there. But with that password generator program we developed, we should be able to crack the password in no time. Still can't believe she changed her password."

"Too bad Wade wouldn't just help us. He used to help us break in all the time."

Tim gave a faint smile. "I think he knows what's on there and just doesn't want to tell us."

"You think so?"

"Most definitely."

Tim sat back in his chair, smiling broadly, then hit the enter key. In an instant, the computer began it's work, and both pre-teens sat back in awe as the computer quickly went through every single possibility below ten characters.

Jim gave a brief whistle as it passed fifeteen characters. "Wow, Kim REALLY doesn't want anyone getting into her diary."

"I know," the computer had now passed eighteen, "even we don't go this hard core."

Thirty characters were flying by now, and the greater numbers were slowing down the program. Jim shook his head in amazement. "She actually writes out something like this every time she wants to get in?"

The delay was interminable, as the program passed first forty, then fifty characters.

Tim leaned his head back, eyes shut in frustration. "There must be something wrong with the program. There's no way..."

A quick beep from the computer caused them to jump. The screen flashed a quick message, detailing the search. Now Tim gave a whistle. "Fifety two characters. She really didn't want anyone getting in, did she?"

Jim was leaning forward excited. "So what was the password anyways? After all that trouble, it's got to be interesting."

Tim pushed a couple of keys, and laughed when he saw what it was.

JimandTimandWadewillneverbeabletofigureoutmypassword

"Sorry Kim, but it looks like we just did." Tim quickly accessed Kim's diary, the search on.

After ten minutes though, both of them were almost ready to admit defeat. "There's nothing here. I mean, other than that makeout session at the hospital, and they do that all the time, there's nothing here we could even use."

Tim wasn't quite ready to give up though. "There's got to be something. No one puts this much protection on something and not have anything to protect. We just..."

Tim trailed off, but Jim didn't need to ask why when he read what was on the screen. "The treehouse? Oh man..."

Jim's eyes narrowed in consternation. "Do you have any idea what that means?"

Tim shook his head. "I don't know. I think it's something sexual."

Jim cast a glance at his brother at that comment, but let it go. "Let's send it to Wade, he might be able to tell us what it all means."

"All right, just let me... oops."

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Ron was happy when their shouting had died down. They had been drawing considerable attention, and the glaring match was a welcome relief. "KP, maybe we should go. We can..."

A quick beeping cut Ron off, and all three instinctively reached down to their hips. Shego gave a smirk as she quickly pointed out that it was for her. Pulling her own version of a Kimmunicator out, her smirk grew as she saw the disgusted look on Kim's face.

"Drakken and Wade have been having some study sessions together. He whipped us up a few for my team."

Shego sat back, scrolling through the text message she had recieved. "Probably my boyfriend wanting me to pick up something for dinner. Thursdays are Momma Lipsky's bingo nights, and..."

Shego's voice trailed off as she stared in shock at what she was reading. Ron leaned forward, curious. "Shego, what..."

Shego looked up quickly, eyes wide, with an almost vicious grin on her face. "Oh Kimmie, you've been a bad girl, haven't you?"

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Jim gave his brother a terrified look. "Oops? What oops? You don't say oops during a delicate operation like this!"

Tim sat back, hands clasped tightly in front of him. "You remember that email program we wrote, that one that we used to send Kim's picture to everyone in Middleton?"

"Yeah, what does this have to... do..."

"I put it right below Wade's address, and I... umm... accidentily clicked on it and sent it out."

"Oh man," Jim was on his feet, backing away from the computer, "what got sent out?"

"Just that one entry, the one we were going to send to Wade."

Jim raised his hands to his forehead, groaing. "Kim is so going to kill us."

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"What are you talking about Shego." Kim did not like the self-satisfied smirk on the older woman's face.

"Really Kimmie, even I didn't do that at your age. And Ron... wow... three times in a row..." Shego looked up at the blonde as if he had grown an extra head.

"Three times in a row? What..."

Kim gave a quick gasp, her hand flying to her mouth, her face flushing bright red instantly. "Oh!"

Shego gave a bit of a disappointed groan. "Aww, no big finish? After the foreplay, I was half expecting you two to have gone at it like rabbits all night. Let me guess, waiting until prom night, aren't you? That would be the classic thing to do."

Ron looked between the two women, completely confused. "KP, Shego, what are you two..."

Ron's question was cut off by anouther ringing, as both Kim's and his Kimmunicators went off at the same time. Ron noticed Kim didn't even make a move for hers, so he grabbed up his. "Hey Wade, what's the sitch? I thought we told you that Kim and I weren't..."

"Ron, this is bad."

Ron's face went serious at that. "Are Tara and Bonnie..."

"They're fine Ron. It's just... I just got this email from Jim and Tim... they've gotten into Kim's diary."

Kim gave a groan as her head hit the table. Ron looked to her with concern, noting Shego's very amused smile. "Come on Wade, it can't be that bad."

Wade didn't even look up, as if he was afraid to meet Ron's gaze. "Umm... this is... umm... it mentions a treehouse... and it looks like they sent it to everyone in Middleton."

Shego actually gave a giggle as she cut in. "And some very serious action of an adult variety. I'm proud of you Ron, getting the ice queen here to open up a bit."

Ron looked between the three of them, still not sure. "Well what would..."

Kim's head shot up quickly. "I wrote about the sex in the treehouse, all right!" Every eye in the place was looking at her, but at this point, Kim didn't care. "Oh what are you all looking at, you've already got all the details in your emails."

Ron's eyes were wide. "All... sex... I..."

Shego just sat back, giggling softly. "Oh Kimmie, who knew you could be so wild. Maybe you're not as frigid as I thought."

Kim took Ron's Kimmunicator from his stunned hands. "Wade, did it go to EVERYBODY in Middleton?"

"I'm afraid so."

Kim grabbed Ron, dragging him from the table. "Come on Ron, we've got to get back to my house quickly."

"Why..."

"So I can kill the Tweebs before Daddy gets home and kills both of us."

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James Possible sat down at his computer, talking a small sip from his coffee. He smiled when he saw the email from his sons, and clicked it open, wondering what new device they had designed. That smile quickly disappeared as he read through what they had sent him.

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Kim was still dragging Ron as she stalked through the front door.

"KP, really, are you sure you want me to be here? I mean, if your dad isn't home yet, I still have time to get away. I hear Outer Mongolia is really nice this time of year."

Kim paused long enough to give him a quick kiss. "Daddy won't kill you, it will be fine. We're adults, and we just have to make sure that he understands that. But I do still need to kill the Tweebs, and I need your help for that if they split up on me."

"Kimmie, why are you planning to kill your brothers?"

Kim whirled quickly, glancing sheepishly at her mother. "Umm... they broke into my diary."

"I noticed."

Kim went bright red at that simple statement. "You... you know..."

"I know everything."

Ron ducked behind Kim, peeking out just slightly. "Please don't kill me."

Andrea Possible chuckled at her daughter and Ron's obvious discomfort. "Ron, I'm not going to kill you. You two are the most mature teenagers I know, and I know for a fact that you two love each other. If the two of you have decided to start moving your relationship on to the next level, I trust the two of you to be careful. I just have one question." The two teens looked to her expectantly. "The WHOLE thing Kim?"

"MOOOOMMM!"

That was when the sound of a car pulling into the driveway gave all of them pause. Ron resisted the temptation to run when the engine died, and he could hear a car door slamming in the garage. He did shrink back though when he heard the door between the kitchen and the garage open and slam shut.

James Possible stalked into the living room, his eyes locking directly onto the two teens. Ron shrank back just a little further, while Kim stood there defiantly.

"Daddy, I..."

"Ronald, let's go."

Andrea placed a hand on her husband's shoulder. "James, I don't think..."

"Daddy, this was a decision..."

"ENOUGH!" James, paused a moment, noticing the look of fear in Ronald's eyes. His stance softened just slightly. "Ronald, come with me for a drive."

James noticed, with some pride, that Ron held himself just a little taller when he finally aceeded to his order. He watched his daughter place a gentle hand on her boyfriend's arm, and he could see the silent communication pass between them, the assurances and pledges of love that their brief look conveyed. That just made what he had to do that much easier.

It was silent for the first ten minutes of the drive. Ron stared out the window, while James thought long and hard on how to address the issue at hand. Finally, James had had enough.

"Ronald..."

"Mr Dr. P., I love Kim so much and what we did was just a natural expression of our love and I really don't think we need to apologize because we are both almost adults and we both made the decision but if you have to punish anybody it should be me you punish because..."

"Ronald, stop and take a breath, you're going to pass out."

Ron was gasping for air while James allowed him a moment. When Ron had finally settled down, he began.

"Ronald, I am not angry with you. Granted, recieving the... sexual... exploits of your only daughter and her boyfriend in an email is not the best way to get the news that your daughter is... active, though I suppose it's better than walking in on the two of you on the couch." Both gave a shudder at that image.

"I have known you since you were just a small child Ron, and I actually think of you as a son." Now he had Ron's full attention, as the teen looked over at him. "I know how much you love Kim, Ronald. That much was plain to me even before Kim got hurt. But the way you handled the situation, the way you sat with her non-stop, never giving up hope... I have something to confess Ronald. Your hope that she would wake up was the only thing that would keep me going at times." James' hands tightened on the steering wheel, keeping his eyes on the road ahead. "When you're married to a brain surgeon, you tend to pick up a few things, and one of the things I knew was that someone in a coma, the longer they are in that coma, the greater the chance they might never wake up. After that first month, and then the second... I started to give up hope. But you... you never doubted, and that gave me strength."

James took a moment, blinking back the small tear struggling to get free. "Ronald, I love you like a son, and I want you to know just how important you are to this family. I just want you to promise me that you won't hurt Kimmie, and that you two will be careful."

Ron nodded thoughtfully, blinking back a couple tears himself. "Yes sir."

James turned to look over at the young man beside him. "Ron, I think you can call me Dad if you want."

Ron blinked in surprise, then smiled. "Sure... Dad."

"Good. Then let's get back to the house. I'm sure the ladies are probably worried sick by now."

Ron nodded, before his expression turned serious. "Mr. Dr. P... Dad, can I ask you something?"

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Kim rushed to the car before James even had a chance to stop it fully. Ron wasn't even out of the car before she had her arms wrapped around him. "Ron, are you okay?"

"Sure KP, your dad and I just had a talk. No big."

Kim looked questioningly over at her father, who simply smiled in response. "Ronald, are you going to be joining us for dinner?"

"Sure thing Doctor P!"

Kim was quite confused by the exchange, as both Ron and her dad were smiling broadly. Ron cut in quickly before she could ask too many questions. "So KP, did you manage to kill your brothers yet?"

"No, Mom wouldn't let me. But she did give me an idea that would pay them back just as well. Wade helped me set it up."

Ron's grin broadened as he saw the devious look in her eye. "Really? What did you do?"

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"Oh God, is that you or me?"

Tim shuddered, flipping to the next picture in the email. "I don't think it matters. Ughhh... this one has both of us naked."

Jim started crying as the pictures continued to flash. "Wade had to have helped her with this, there's no way she could have uploaded all our baby pictures herself and used our email program to send them to everyone."

Tim just wailed at the picture showing him giving Kim a kiss on the cheek. "We'll NEVER be able to show our faces in this town again!"

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Author's Notes - Folks, next chapter, I have a special treat in store. My first Tara centric chapter since her own one-shot. Her life, her loves, and introducing a trio of new villains that's sure to raise some eyebrows. Stay tuned!


	23. Chapter 23

I don't own, Disney does. I'm hoping to start a regular schedule at producing stories again, so bear with me. Hopefully, this is the first of many on a weekly basis.

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Recovery – Chapter 23

Tara smiled as she felt the warm sunlight on her face. Slowly, carefully, she opened her eyes and took a deep breath, savouring the moment. Mornings were always her favourite time of day; that promise of something new and exciting just around the corner. She quickly climbed from her bed, pausing briefly at the window to take in the sunlight.

She walked purposefully over to the bathroom, smiling just slightly as she saw her sister Amanda stick her head out of her room just as she reached it.

"Tara, I get to go first today!"

Tara just smiled back, ducking into the bathroom. "That's what you get for sleeping in." Tara shut the door before her sister could get there, locking it quickly. She giggled when she heard her sister's infuriated pounding on the door.

"Come on, let me in there. You always take forever!"

"Then maybe you should get up on time."

Tara heard one last pound at the door before it got quiet. "I'm going to tell mom."

Tara just shook her head as she stripped off her sleepware. "Amanda, you're thirteen years old. You're going to have to stop going to mom every time you don't get your way. She's just going to tell you the same thing anyways."

Tara heard the frustrated shriek outside the door, and then the receding footsteps as her sister stomped her way down to the kitchen to eat, since she couldn't get into the bathroom. The blond cheerleader couldn't help laughing as she pictured her sister grumping all the way through breakfast.

Tara stepped into the shower, taking a moment to adjust the water temperature, relishing the gentle stream as it coursed over her. She lifted her head, bringing her face into the stream and allowed the water to run over her. She didn't know what it was about a shower that seemed so sensual yet relaxing at the same time. She could lose herself in the sensations so easily, it was no wonder she took so long every day to get ready.

Finally, she finished her shower, giving herself one last rinse before turning off the water. She dried off quickly, wrapping the large towel around herself tightly, and headed for her room. Amanda was there as soon as she opened the door, pushing her way past her older sister. "I hope you left me some hot water."

Tara didn't respond, instead just heading to her room to get ready for the day. When she headed to the kitchen twenty minutes later, that same implacable smile was on her face. Her father was seated at the table, reading the newspaper, while her mother was just putting the final touches on Tara's breakfast. She kissed them both, and settled down to eat.

Her mother smiled at her, grabbing the seat across from her. "Dear, it probably wouldn't hurt to let Amanda get time in the bathroom first some mornings."

"I know mom."

Mrs. Matthews just grinned. "Don't forget honey, your father and I are going out of town for the night, to attend your father's training course. Your sister will also be at her friend Ashley's place for a sleep-over, so you won't have to drive her to school tomorrow either."

The fork paused partway up to her mouth, and her grin broadened. "Really?"

Her father heard the tone in her voice, looking up from his paper. "You're not thinking of having a party, are you?"

Tara actually managed to look indignant without losing the smile. "Daddy!"

Mr. Matthews chuckled softly. "Don't worry dear, I know you wouldn't do that. You're a good girl. Now your sister..."

Tara took a bite of her cereal, before looking back over at her father. "Daddy, would it be all right if Josh came over to study with me?"

Her father looked thoughtful for a moment. "I don't mind honey, he is a good boy. Very polite and thoughtful." He chuckled again, a grin breaking over his face. "Just don't let there be any hanky-panky, all right?"

"Yes daddy."

Mr. Matthews looked at his watch, his eyes widening slightly. "Oh, we should get ready to go. I just have to grab my notes from the office and we can get to the airport."

Tara kept her gaze on her father as he rose and quickly left the room. She glanced briefly at her mother, who was smiling at her, before looking down at her bowl. "So... daddy doesn't know..."

"I don't think I want to give your father a heart attack just yet. Believe me, the day I walked in on you two was almost enough to stop my own heart."

Tara was blushing brightly now. "Thanks mom."

Mrs. Matthews had a strange smile on her face. "But really honey... I still can't for the life of me figure out what you would want to use the whip for. The ropes I can understand, your father and I..."

"MOM!"

"Oh settle down dear, I'm just teasing." The grin fell a bit, as she looked at her daughter seriously now. "You are being safe though, aren't you? I think I'm a little too young to be a grandmother just yet."

Tara seemed to shrink a bit into her seat. "Yes mom."

Mrs. Matthews just smiled, reaching across the table to grab ahold of her daughter's hand. "I trust you dear, I really do. But I am your mother, and I have to make sure. Have fun, and... be sure to clean up when your done."

Tara could only blush even more fiercely as she nodded, and just as quickly as it started, the conversation ended. Nicely timed too, since her father had come back into the room. "I left some money on the counter for you honey. Your sister is eating at her friend's place tonight. Do you have any plans for tonight other than studying?"

"Well, the gang and I were looking to go out for a bit tonight after cheerleading, before Josh comes over. I'll probably eat then."

Her dad nodded, not looking up from his bags. "That's nice, just be sure not to stay out too late if you have studying to do. We'll be home in time for supper tomorrow."

Her father leaned over, giving her a kiss on the cheek, before scooping up their bags. With a final wave, her parents were out the door.

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Tara couldn't help but smile as she made her way through the bustle of the hallways. She could almost feel the palpable sense of emotion filtering in from everyone around her; their joys, their concerns, their loves, their hates. She never could understand why it made her feel that way, but it always felt good to feel that bustle around her. Bonnie always just said she was so much of an optimist that a single smile in an angry mob would make her happy.

Tara simply waved to everyone as she walked through the halls to her locker, greeting as many people as she could, focusing special attention on those who looked like they could use a little cheering up. After all, she couldn't exactly call herself a cheerleader if she didn't bring a little cheer to everyone she met. She rounded the corner, her locker only a little ways further, when she saw Kim and Ron standing by Kim's locker. Both seemed a little morose, so she turned on her brightest smile.

She could here them as she got closer, and she could instantly tell what was bothering them. "...and it won't be so bad, at least for a little bit. Besides, most of the villains haven't exactly been much of a challenge. I mean, Ned could have taken some of these guys. It will be good to have a break for a change."

"Ron, I..."

"Hey guys!" Tara gave a little wave, sliding up beside the pair. "What are you guys talking about?"

Kim shut her locker, clutching her books close to her. "Just how Ron and I have to give up on freak fighting for a bit. I know why, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. And what if you and Bonnie end up in a sitch you can't deal with?"

Tara just shrugged, her smile never waivering. "Then we'll just have to call in the back-up. I mean, just because you guys are taking a break from it doesn't mean you won't be there if we need it. Plus, I mean, we have Shego as well now, plus Global Justice... Shego's brothers..."

Kim rolled her eyes, groaning softly. "Yeah, I guess..."

"And hey, just because you've given up fighting freaks doesn't mean you have to stop all world saving. I mean, half of your missions are more natural disaster stopping and rescues, aren't they? You could still handle that part of it."

Kim's eyes shot up, her frown disappearing as a smile tugged at her lips. "Hey, you're right."

Ron cast a glance between the two girls, still uncertain. "Umm... are you sure that's a good idea KP?" She looked over at him, and the look in her eye told him it wasn't a good idea to argue the point with her. "Ohhh... of course it's a good idea, but I do think you should talk it out with your parents first, just to see how they feel about it."

"Oh it will be fine. Thanks Tara, that helped a lot!"

Tara just smiled, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Always glad to help."

Ron glanced up at the clock then, noticing the time. "Oh man, we better get to class. Don't want Barkin to give me detention again." He leaned over, giving Kim a peck on the cheek.

"STOPPABLE!"

Ron jumped almost six feet into the air, a feat not actually exaggerated, and managed to smack his head on the ceiling. He fell to the floor, his hand moving quickly to the injured spot on his head, rubbing furiously. "Mr. Barkin, I can explain..."

"What are the rules regarding PDA in MY school. You know what this means, don't you?"

Ron did not really want to answer, but he knew what was expected. "Extra homework?"

"Extra homework."

Ron looked sullenly at the pages flapping in front of his face, and took them carefully, as if they would bite him. He glanced down, noticing three new pages of algebra, and looked up to protest, but Barkin was already gone. Ron rose to his feet, brushing some dirt off his pants. "I swear, his goal in life is to make me miserable. He really needs to find a girlfriend or something."

Kim and Tara just chuckled softly. "Don't worry Ron." Tara brushed a stray piece of lint from his shoulder. "Just think, a few more weeks, and then you won't have to see him ever again."

Ron sighed dramatically at the thought. "Man, that will be so cool."

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Tara saw that Ron was the first one to get to the senior table, and in between bites was furiously working on something. She and Bonnie slid in across from him, and she noticed the rest of the gang was right behind them.

"Hey Ron, what are you working on?"

Ron groaned, turning the pencil around and erasing half of what he was writing. "I just want to get this homework out of the way, so it doesn't get in the way of our fun tonight."

Monique and Kim sank down beside Ron, eyeing the senior table spread before them. Monique grabbed a couple shrimp, popping them in her mouth. "So have we decided what we're doing tonight then?"

Felix rolled up, smiling broadly. "It's pizza and gamage at JP Bearymore's!"

Ron looked up, a broad smile plastered to his face. "Can I get a booyah?"

Both Kim and Monique looked stricken at the thought. "You can't be serious."

"Believe it K," Bonnie smirked as she took Brick's arm as he sat down, "my man is going to finally get enough tickets to win me that giant bear I always wanted, aren't you hon?"

"You bet babe! That thing is as good as yours."

Kim was now doubly aghast. "You WANT to go there?"

"Oh come on, it's not that bad. Well... so long as your brothers aren't there. I got stuck taking them once and..." Bonnie just shuddered at the memory, and considering what Bonnie had seen, anything that made her shudder couldn't be good.

Kim looked around the table, trying to find any support. "Monique?"

"Hey, I'm with you girl. Let these boys loose in there? Not my idea of a good time."

"Tara?"

Tara just shrugged. "It can be fun. I mean, they have a few athletic games in there too that are pretty good. Besides, Josh has fun there as well."

Kim just gave the blonde a look. "They've corrupted all of you."

"Don't worry KP," Ron wrapped his arm around her, giving her a squeeze, "we kiddies will be on our best behaviour."

Kim's head sank down to the table with a sigh. "That's what I'm afraid of."

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"I still don't see why we can't add this to the routine."

Tara gave her friend a smile and a sigh. "Bonnie, you know as well as I do that that move is too tough on some of the newer cheerleaders. It's why we decided on the more basic routine and the focus on our dancing."

Bonnie crossed her arms over her chest, a not too pleasant look on her face. "And why was it decided that I wasn't to be the one on the top of the pyramid?"

"Because we need you on the bottom level, with me. We're the two strongest on the squad right now." Bonnie didn't look to be backing down any time soon, so Tara pulled out all the stops, sticking out her bottom lip. "You don't want me to be co-captain any more, do you?"

Bonnie's face fell when she saw the look on her friend's face. "Oh you did not just do that. You know that's not fair. When you make that face, it makes me feel like I've been kicking puppies." Bonnie couldn't take it any more, and turned away with a sigh. "I'm sorry. The ideas are good, and I do want you to be co-captain. Now stop with that look, will you."

Tara perked up quickly, and wrapped her arms around her friend, hugging her tight. "I knew you loved me."

"ARGGHH... All right, that's enough. We still have a practice to run here."

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Tara was practically squealing when Josh wrapped his arms around her, picking her up and spinning her. He planted a kiss on the back of her neck, holding her close. "Now didn't I tell you we would have fun."

Tara could barely hear him over the video games and screaming kids, but she heard enough. "Yes, I'm having fun. Now let's get back to the table. Kim and Monique look ready to bolt for the door."

Josh gave a chuckle, and they walked back to the table with his arms wrapped around her from behind. They could see Kim smile just a bit at them. Tara reached down, grabbing a slice of pizza, and bringing it over her shoulder for Josh to take a bite. "Are you two having any fun at all?"

"Oh just a barrel of laughs over here."

"KP, KP!" Ron plopped into the seat beside her, giving her a kiss. "Isn't this just the best?"

"You know what would be even better?" Kim reached for Ron, grabbing him quickly, and giving him and even deeper kiss that caught Ron completely off guard.

When she pulled away, Ron could only smile stupidly. "Booyah."

Tara giggled, and she and Josh sat down, with her taking a seat right in his lap. "Have either of you seen..."

"The Brickman shoots, he scores!"

Almost all their heads turned, as they saw a triumphant Brick, arms raised in victory, while Bonnie just looked as pleased as she could be, holding onto the five foot tall teddy bear. Josh raised his hand, and Brick just slapped it clean. He turned to Ron, expecting the same, but noticed Ron wasn't even looking. "What's up with him?"

Kim blushed as everyone at the table looked at her, and everyone laughed, which seemed to snap Ron out of it. The look of surprise on his face was priceless when he suddenly noticed Brick and Bonnie right there.

"Wow Brick, my man, that's..."

Whatever Ron was about to say was cut off when the familiar chime of the Kimmunicator sounded, loud enough to be heard over everything. Kim reached quickly to her side, but just as quickly realized it wasn't for her. Bonnie gave a sympathetic wince, before reaching for hers. "Go Wade."

"Hey guys, sorry for breaking up fun night, but I'm getting reports of a new group of villains making threats in North Carolina. I doubt it's much, but a couple towns put in hits on the website."

Bonnie glanced over at Tara before nodding. "We're on it Wade. Have you got a ride lined up?"

"Should be there in three minutes."

Bonnie nodded again, then cut the connection. She gave anouther wince as she looked over at Kim again. "Kim, I..."

"Don't worry about me, I'm fine." Kim gave them all a smile, but it was half-hearted at best.

Tara piped up quickly. "Hey, just remember, you were going to talk to your folks about handling other types of missions. Then you'll be back in the saddle again."

Kim's smile was just a touch more genuine now. "Thanks Tara."

Bonnie tucked the Kimmunicator away, handed the bear to Brick, and grabbed Tara. "Come on, we've got some freaks to stop."

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Tara stopped, brushing the cobwebs from her hair with disgust. "Why do we have to go through the air vents?"

"The element of surprise."

Tara shook her hand, trying to get the cobweb loose now that it was out of her hair. "But won't they hear us rattling about in here? I mean, these things do run through the place, it must be echoing. And why do all these lairs have such large air vents anyways? Wouldn't it be smarter to just build them smaller so we can't sneak in?"

Bonnie just shrugged. "Beats me, they always do. Anyways, we're almost there."

The pair moved over to the grate, looking out. It was a typical villains lair, with lots of computers, most of them proably useless and only for show, as well as a trio of villains plainly visible. At first glance though, both girls could quickly tell these weren't your usual villains. For one thing, they were dressed in regular clothes, as if they were coming back from the store or work. It was actually a bit strange. Anouther, they all seemed to be older as well. Tara cast a glance at Bonnie, but she just shrugged.

One of the men moved over to the platform, gripping the bannister tightly. "Lieutenant, fire up the generator. They have refused our demands for the last time!"

The red haired one just looked upset. "Why do I have to be the lieutenant?"

Both of the other men just groaned. "Matt, what do I have to tell you. I'm the Captain, he's the Commander, and you are the Lieutenant. How many times to we have to go over this."

Matt crossed his arms over his chest. "But I want a really cool name. How am I supposed to strike fear into the hearts of do-gooders and score with the ladies with a lame name like that? I mean, maybe I can be the Destroyer or something. That sounds cool and dangerous."

The Captain's hand shook as he raised it, before bringing it to his face and wiping his forehead. It was the Commander who stepped forward. "Look, we'll discuss names after we finish the plan. Now could you hit the generator already?"

Matt just mumbled as he moved over and flicked the switch. "I just want a cool name, is that too much to ask."

The generator whined as it powered up, and the Captain smiled. "Now that the camera is powering up, we will show these fools what it means..."

"Sorry to rain on your parade, but you're not going to get that far." Bonnie dropped from the vent, moving into a fighting stance quickly. Tara followed right behind.

The Captain just looked upset. "You couldn't let me finish my rant first? I thought the villain always got to finish his rant before you interrupted."

Bonnie just scowled. "Not when you interrupt our fun night. Now, are you going to give up, or do we have to get rough?"

The Captain just sneered. "Commander, Lieutenant, destroy them!"

"I told you, I want to be the Destroyer."

The Captain just growled. "Just get them!"

Bonnie glanced between the two, smiling. "Tara, you take the red head on the left, the Commander here is mine!"

Tara nodded, and moved quickly to face her opponent. She dropped into a stance Ron had showed her, waiting for him to make a move. She was ready for anything.

She didn't expect though that he would just stand there, smiling at her. "Man, you are hot!"

Tara's eyes widened. "Excuse me?"

"Come on babe," Matt licked his palm, and then ran it over his wild, unruly red mop, "you know you want me. All girls love the bad boy."

Tara tried to hold it in, but she just couldn't, and the biggest belly laugh she had ever felt burst forth. Tara just fell to the floor, laughing like mad.

Matt just looked put out. "Oh come on, it's not funny."

Bonnie and the Commander paused in their fight to look over at the pair, incredulous. "Lieutenant? What are you doing just standing there, get her!"

Matt moved to pick her up, and she didn't resist, just continuing to laugh. He shook her, not finding the situation amusing. "Would you stop laughing already?"

Tara wiped a tear from her eye, still smiling. "Sure." She reared back one leg, and brought it forward, right between the legs.

Matt's eyes went wide, and he fell to the floor moaning. Tara just chuckled, wiping a couple more tears away. "Oh, I so needed that. I haven't laughed that hard in days."

The Captain was agitated now, as he saw one of his men on the floor, and the Commander locked in conflict with the brunette. "Argh, you won't stop us, not when we are so close. All I have to do is..."

"DADDY!"

The Captain wheeled, his eyes wide. "Honey, what are you doing here?"

Bonnie and the Commander paused again, glancing up at the podium. "Umm, who's that?"

The Commander winced. "His daughter. That means..."

"Daddy, mom sent me over to tell you that if you don't get home right this minute, you're spending the next month on the couch."

The Captain paled at that thought. "Honey, I don't..."

"Don't talk to me, talk to mom. You should know she's not happy right now."

The Captain just stammered, looking from the controls then back to his daughter. "But... but... we were..." the Captain's shoulders slumped in defeat, releasing a deep sigh. "We're going, we're going. Come on guys, let's get out of here."

The Commander nodded to Bonnie, before moving over to Matt to help him up. The trio of would-be villains quickly left, leaving an almost stunned Bonnie and Tara. Tara smirked a bit. "Was it really that easy?"

"I guess it was." Bonnie pulled her communicator out, signaling Wade. "Hey Wade, situations clear here. Send in GJ to clear the lair, and get us home."

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Tara brushed a strand of hair away from her face, smiling almost shyly up at Josh. "I'm sorry I had to run out and miss most of the group fun night. But you know... my parents are gone until tomorrow, and my sister is at a friend's house. We have the whole place to ourselves tonight."

Josh's grin widened as he held her close on her front step. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

The shyness seemed to disappear in an instant, the shy smile becoming one that was almost lascivious. "Oh, I think so. Are you up for it?"

Josh kissed her quickly, and then let her open the door with a great eagerness. "Oh, I am up for it. I am definitely up for it... Mistress."

Tara giggled, as she pulled Josh into the house with her, closing the door quickly behind them.

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Author's Notes - Well, it's the start of my return, hope it was worth the wait (probably not, but hey...). And as for the three villains, I'd like to thank Captain Kodak, Commander Argus, and Mattb3671 for lending their likenesses to this. Now... I just wait for their lynch mobs...

Anyways, if you want to see what happens after I cut away at the end there, you'll have to wait until I post that chapter onto my story Tales of Recovery over at adultfanfiction dot net. Believe me, it's not a tale for the kiddies.

Stay tuned for more stories this week, and then next Monday we return. Just what are the Tweebs up to now? Can it possibly be good?


	24. Chapter 24

I don't own, Disney does. While the 4th season does not play a part in my series, I don't see the harm in incorporating some of the things seen. This will be one of them, only with a different twist.

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Recovery – Chapter 24

Kim eyed her brothers suspiciously as they came down the stairs, all smiles for breakfast. That was never a good thing. It usually meant that they were working on something new, something that had the potential to be greatly embarassing for her, or require the fire department to make yet anouther appearance at their house. As it was, the fire department already had a couple of codes specifically for their house. The first, an 812, indicated the Tweebs were up to their old tricks, and that call could usually be heard about once a week. The second, and totally unfair in her opinion, was the 813, which indicated her experiment in the kitchen had not been nearly as successful as she had hoped. Considering it had only happened twice, and not once in the last two years, it seemed extremely unfair to have a code devoted to her.

She kept her eyes locked on her brothers as they sat down for breakfast, their facial expressions and hand gestures allowing them to engage in conversation without actually saying a word. Sometimes, it was freaky to think about how they could do that, except she and Ron could do something similar when they were on a mission. Finally, she had enough with it.

"All right Tweebs, what are you up to now?"

Jim and Tim just grinned broadly, trying to look innocent. "Us? We're not..."

"... doing anything."

Kim raised an eyebrow, not believing that for an instant. "Why do I find that so hard to believe?"

Andrea Possible just chuckled softly as she set the boys breakfast in front of them. "Don't worry dear, Jim and Tiim have been behaving themselves, at least since..." Andrea let that comment go, as she could already see her daughter blushing furiously, no doubt recounting just what exactly she had put into her diary that the boys had been able to expose by accident.

Kim polished off the last of her breakfast, and quickly rose from her seat. "Well, I better get to school. The prom comittee is meeting today, and since I don't have my cheer skills back up to par, it's the only thing left that needs my help right now."

Andrea just nodded, giving her daughter a quick kiss before turning to the boys. "Hurry up and eat boys, so I can drive you to school."

Jim and Tim just shared a look that Kim caught out of the corner of her eye. Jim smiled brightly as he turned to look at Kim. "Mom won't need to drive us much longer..."

"...not after tonight."

Kim froze, her hand on the door. "Alright, I know you two are up to something. What..."

The door flew open, startling Kim, and Ron was just as shocked to see Kim right there as well. But Ron recovered quickly, smiling broadly. "Come on Kimila, you said you wanted to debrief Bonnie and Tara about their mission last night before home room."

Kim thought to argue for a moment, but she did want to talk to the two newest members of Team Possible before classes started. She tossed one last warning glance at her brothers before heading out the door, arm in arm with Ron.

Andrea just shook her head at her two boys. "You two could have been a touch more subtle this morning. You could have blown the whole surprise."

"Aww mom, we just..."

"... wanted to see how she'd react."

"She gets all weird when she's suspicious."

"It's funny."

"Well no more of that after school, have you got me?"

Jim and Tim hung there heads, nodding slowly. "Yes mom."

Andrea smiled, before glancing at her watch. "Now hurry up and eat boys, or you'll be late for school."

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Kim just shook her head, frustrated, as she walked through the doors of Middleton High. "I swear, those two are up to something, and it involves me in some way, and you know that's never good."

"Come on KP, they're just boys acting out. What harm could they do?"

"Ron, one word... email."

Ron shuddered, and a couple students near enough to hear them giggled softly, though one of the girls winked at him. Kim just cast a look at the blond, and she disappeared quickly into the crowd. Once she was out of sight, Kim turned her attention back to her boyfriend, who had been oblivious to both the girl and the exchange. "Ron, you know what the Tweebs can be like. They are so infuriating!"

"Jim and Tim acting up?"

Kim and Ron turned and found Bonnie and Tara there. Tara was smiling sweetly, and seemed happy, while Bonnie was just plain frowning. Considering the couple of times Bonnie had had to babysit them, she could guess why. "Oh yeah. I know they're up to something, I just haven't figured out what yet."

"Those little monsters better not involve me in their mad schemes." Bonnie was practically glaring, and Kim wondered what mad plot they had unhatched on her that she wasn't telling about.

Tara though just grinned. "Oh, I think they're sweet boys."

Kim and Bonnie just shared a look, incredulous, before Bonnie smiled. "You thinking what I'm thinking K?"

"You bet B, I just think we found their new babysitter."

Tara just shrugged. "Sure, I could use the extra cash. Besides, all they need is a little discipline." Bonnie raised an eyebrow at that, but Tara quickly responded. "Get you mind out of the gutter Bonnie, you know that isn't what I meant."

Kim glanced back and forth between the two, not quite understanding, but let the matter drop. "Anyways, how was the mission you two? Anything big?"

Bonnie just shrugged, hefting her bookbag on her shoulder. "Not really. Three first timers, not big on the fighting, though their Commander or whatever was pretty tough. Ended pretty quick when the Captain's daughter showed up, and they had to go home to face their wives."

Ron just laughed at the image. "Really? Man, that's a new one. I mean, I know Drakken had one of his schemes messed with by his mom, really wish I had been there to see that, but by your wife?"

Tara just nodded, her smile still bright. "Yeah, it was almost fun. Though the red-headed one kept hitting on me."

The first bell rang, and Kim looked up at the time. "Well, we'll have to go into all the details later, class is starting. Later!"

Bonnie and Tara made their goodbyes, and Kim and Ron headed off down the hall.

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School was out, and the prom comittee meeting had gone well, though she and Bonnie had gotten into a bit of a row again about some of the minor details. Despite all the changes in Bonnie, it was refreshing to see that her brunette rival could still argue with her at the best of times. It might have been too weird if Bonnie didn't display some of the normal characteristics that Kim was so familiar with at times. It was still a lot to get used to, even after the last few weeks.

Now that she was home though, she was instantly on guard again. She stopped Ron, who was intent on just walking in, and she took a moment to analyze the situation.

Ron just looked at her expectantly. "What's the matter?"

Kim eyed the door, as well as the area around it for any signs of tampering. "The Tweebs mentioned something about tonight. I'm not taking any chances."

With one eye to the roof, Kim pulled her Kimmunicator out, signaling Wade. The young genius just smiled when he saw her. "Hey Kim, what's up?"

"Wade, I want you to scan for any anomalies. Trip wires, explosive charges, anything."

Wade started the scan, and then blinked in surprise. "Umm... aren't you at your house?" Wade's eyes widened as he came to a realization. "Do you think one of your villains might be up to no good? I know Dementor is on the loose still, and there's still..."

Ron pulled the Kimmunicator towards him, much to Kim's chagrin. "Naw Wade, the Tweebs just mentioned something about tonight and smiled a lot."

Now Wade's eyes went really wide. "I'll broaden the scan to include any and all chemical and biological components as well."

"Please and thank you."

Ron just groaned, finally having enough. "Come on KP, it;'s not that big a deal. We're missing my show!" Ron walked right up to the door and opened it. Kim threw her arms over her head, and even Wade winced, though he was no where near the scene.

Nothing.

Ron just smiled smugly as he stood before the open door, waiting for Kim. Kim took her time however, peeking her head through the open doorway, watching expectantly for anything at this point, yet seeing nothing. Ron decided to let her have her moment, and moved swiftly to the living room, where the Doctors P were already sitting.

James looked up from his paper, noting that Ron was alone. "Ronald, where's Kimmie?"

Ron shrugged, reaching for the remote. "Jim and Tim have her spooked, she's expecting them to be launching an ambush any moment now."

James looked to his wife, who just smiled. "The boys had that look about them this morning."

James smiled and nodded, flipping the paper to a new page. "No wonder she's spooked. I'm half tempted to do the same thing some days when I come home from work."

All three heads turned at the same time when Kim came into the living room, still clutching the Kimmunicator. Wade was still working feverishly. "Scans still show nothing unusual Kim. Maybe they just wanted to scare you."

Kim shook her head quickly. "No, I've seen that look too many times to think they were faking it. They're up to something, and I plan to find out."

Andrea just gave her husband a look. "Dear, maybe we shouldn't hold out on her any longer. She's liable to go crazy if she has to wait any longer."

Kim just stared at her parents. "You're in on it too?"

James just nodded, a hint of a smile on his lips. "Of course Kimmie-cub, where do you think they got the parts from?"

Kim was both startled and relieved by that thought. It couldn't be that bad if her parents knew what was going on.

Seeing the conflicted look on her daughter's face, Andrea chuckled. "Yes, I think it's finally time to unveil her surprise."

Kim's parents rose, and Andrea made sure to drag Ron away from the TV, ignoring his protests. James pushed his daughter ahead of him, and as they got closer to the garage, he covered his daughter's eyes. Kim jumped at the surprise, and Andrea gasped as well, but Kim settled down after a moment.

James realized his error quickly though. "I'm sorry Kimmie-cub, I wasn't thinking. I should have warned you first."

After the events of earlier in the week with the Senors, Kim was still a bit jumpy, especially when someone came up behind her, but she just raised her hands, placing them on her father's hands. "It's all right Daddy, it just... you just startled me for a moment. I'm fine."

James leaned forward, kissing his daughter on the top of her head, before guiding her to the garage. Kim could hear the door open, and was a bit concerned when she could hear the Tweebs giggle softly. But when Ron issued a quiet wow, Kim knew things were all right.

"I hope you like your surprise Kim..."

"... we worked on it all week."

Her father pulled his hands away slowly, and Kim stood in awe when she could see what was in front of her. Jim and Tim stood beside what looked to be an almost brand new car, and her eyes widened as she realized this is what the Tweebs had been smiling about. "It's... it's beautiful."

Jim and Tim smirked, even as they finshed polishing the fenders. "Oh, it's more than beautiful. We've modified this bad boy with all the latest toys."

Kim leaned back, whispering quickly to her father. "You checked this out yourself, right?"

James just chuckled. "Yes I did dear. After all, I wanted to make sure that the boys took good care of my old sloth."

Tim lifted the hood, smiling proudly. "Dual quad, transverse rotary design with gyro stabilization."

Kim smirked, not quite catching all that. "Which is Tweeb for..."

Jim just smiled. "This things kicks!"

Kim couldn't hide it any more, she simply loved it. "I can't believe you Tweebs would do this for me." Kim moved quickly, before they had a chance to get away, and pulled them both tight for a hug, giving both a quick kiss on the cheek.

The Tweebs instantly protested the very unwanted affection. "Ewww, if we had known you would..."

"... do this, we wouldn't have started this in the first place."

Kim just laughed, keeping her brothers close. "I love you too guys."

She kissed them again, and this time they broke free, bolting for the door. "Oh man, cootie alert."

"We've been infected!"

Everyone laughed as the twins disappeared from sight. When the laughter finally settled down, Kim gave both of her parents a hug as well. "Thanks you guys, you're the greatest."

James just gave his daughter a kiss, smiling proudly. "You deserve it Kimmie-cub. Now remember to take good care of this."

"I will dad." Kim pulled away, and smiled when she saw the keys sitting in the ignition. She turned her attention to Ron, who was still looking on appreciatively. "Come on Ron, let's go for a ride."

Ron was eager, and he had popped open the passenger door and buckled himself in before Kim could move. "Way ahead of you KP."

Kim hopped into the drivers seat, and started the car. The engine just purred, and Kim took a moment to look around the inside. James took the oppurtunity to stick his head in, offering some more advice. "Now remember to always stay buckled in when the vehicle is in motion."

Andrea took her husband's arm, pulling him away, but that didn't stop the flow of advice. "Don't forget to put the parking brake on when you're parking on a hill."

Andrea just continued to pull her husband away, and it looked like she had been successful when they disappeared into the kitchen. But when Kim put the car into gear, her father stuck his head through the door one last time. "And don't even think of going to Lover's Point in this thing. I've analyzed the particulate matter of that area, so I'll know if you've been up there... Ronald."

James' head disappeared again, rather abruptly, and Kim took that as her cue to go. She smiled over at Ron, who still looked a little disturbed at her father's last comment. "Come on Ron, let's test this baby out!"

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Author's Notes - Monday, April 9th - Recovery - Chapter 25 - Ron has been acting stranger than usual, but before Kim can find out what's going on, the pair of them are thrust into a mission.


	25. Chapter 25

I don't own, Disney does. Here it is folks, the 25th chapter special. As an old comics buff, I always relished those special anniversary issues. The 25th issue was always something special, and in that tradition, so shall this one. So sit back and enjoy!

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Recovery – Chapter 25

Kim was getting very worried. During their Friday night date, Kim had sensed something bothering Ron. He was far more fidgety than normal, almost as he had been during their first real date almost a year ago. When the waitor at the restaurant had actually caught him unawares, Ron had half jumped out of his seat. In the excitement of getting her new car only hours earlier, she hadn't noticed any problems, but now that it was just the two of them, Kim had seen some definite issues with her BF.

And there was also the fact that Ron had been pretty quiet all throughout the night, far from usual in anyone's books. The final straw was when he pleaded fatigue rather than make the trip to Lover's Point for a little making out. Granted, that could have been the result of her father's words before they took her new car for a spin, but he had barely spent any time with her on her doorstep, leaving Kim to enter her house actually early, much to the surprise of her mother. Of course, her dad seemed pleased with the situation, a great big smile lighting up his face when he saw her come in the door about fifeteen minutes before eleven.

For much of the night, she had pondered what might be bothering him. His grades, while not stellar, were actually in a good, mid-B range, partly thanks to her own efforts at the start of the year to get him motivated, and partly thanks to Bonnie and Tara's constant nagging, which would probably drive any person to do better just to stop the relentless flood. So she knew that schoolwork couldn't have been weighing on his mind. Was he feeling awkward about the current sitch? It had been a pretty busy week, and not all that great either, after the trip to Senors' Island. But he had seemed fine after they had made the decision to lay off super-villain related missions, though he hadn't seemed as ecstatic about her wanting to take on other, less demanding missions to get back into the swing of things. Could that have been bothering him?

Kim wished she could get a straight answer direct from the source. Even with it being pretty early on a Saturday, she figured he'd be over bright and early as he always was for breakfast. But as the morning repast came and went, there had been no sign of him. By ten, Kim was starting to worry, and the fact that there was no answer at his house, or on his Kimmmunicator, left Kim even more troubled. Even checking with Wade hadn't yielded any results, as when he put a trace on Ron, it just showed him at his house. For a moment, she worried that he might be sick, hence the early night, but Wade just reassured her that his readings read normal.

So now, Kim was left sitting and wondering whether or not she should go over there herself and find out what was wrong. Of course, she had one more avenue she wanted to check out first. Grabbing the cordless phone, she lay back on her bed and dialed a number that, at the start of the year, she never would have thought to dial to ask about Ron.

Bonnie answered before the first ring had even ended. "Morning K, isn't this just a beautiful day?"

Kim frowned, a little suspicious at Bonnie's unusually chipper tone. "You knew I was going to call, didn't you? There wasn't enough time for the call display to work."

Kim could hear Bonnie chuckling in the background. "Well... I guess you could say I knew you would call. I haven't heard from Ron today."

"How did you..." Kim paused, thinking through the situation. "Bonnie, has Ron seemed all right to you lately?"

"Whatever do you mean Kim, Ron has been positively normal."

Kim could almost picture the knowing smirk on the brunette's face. "No, he hasn't, and right now, neither are you. You know something, don't you?"

Kim could hear Bonnie gasp in obviously mock shock. "How on earth would I know something?"

Kim was quickly losing her patience. "Bonnie, if you know something..."

"Sorry Kim, no time to talk, Dementor's doing something in Peru. Tara and I have to get out of here."

Kim could hear Tara faintly in the background. "But we didn't... Wade to... Why are we..."

Kim strained hard to listen only to be interrupted by Bonnie. "Anyways Kim, when we get back, we can have a LONG talk. Ta ta!"

"Bonnie, wait. I..." Kim growled when she heard the click, followed by the dial tone. She glared at the phone, as if she could just reach through it and get a hold of Bonnie with her bare hands. Instead, she decided to go for answers.

Her hands flew to the Kimmunicator quickly, signalling Wade. As soon as her friend appeared on the screen, she moved to the attack. "Why didn't you tell me you were sending Bonnie and Tara to Peru?"

Wade just looked at her confused. "Peru? I didn't..." Wade paused, and his eyes widened. "Well, looks like I will have to send them to Peru."

"Bonnie just signalled you, didn't she?"

Kim could see the guilty look on his face instantly. "I don't... she didn't... she just must have predicted it, that's all. She can do that you know." Kim just looked at him questioningly, not saying a word, as beads of sweat starting running off his forehead. "Kim, you know I wouldn't... I..." Wade glanced to the left, and he nodded quickly. "I have to go Kim, have to get in touch with Bonnie and Tara... set up their ride... all very complicated. Might keep me tied up for... thirty minutes?"

Now Kim just looked at him incredulously. "I doubt you've lost your touch that much Wade."

Wade was just sweating buckets now. "Ummm... uhh... gotta go."

Wade cut the connection before Kim could say anouther word. Now Kim was completely frustated. Whatever was going on with Ron, Bonnie knew about it, and so did Wade she assumed, since he was covering. But covering what, that was the question. She trusted Ron, more than anyone she could think of, but this strange behaviour was just too much. She'd get to the bottom of this, if it was the last thing she did.

Kim quickly got ready to go out, and headed down the stairs, not even pausing when she saw her parents. "Bye mom, bye dad, heading over to Ron's."

Her mom just nodded and smiled, but her father quickly moved to bar her path. "Actually Kimmie-cub, I was hoping you could help me with something for a few moments."

Both women looked to him in surprise, but he just smiled. "Dad, I really need to get over to Ron's and..."

"It will just take a few minutes. Think you can help your old dad out?"

Kim took a moment, before letting out a resigned sigh. "Sure Dad."

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A few moments turned out to be twenty minutes, as Kim quickly grew bored with what her father was working on. Her sole task had been to hold the clamps holding the beaker in place over the flame, as her father fidled with different chemicals. Finally, Kim's patience wore off. "Dad, don't you have something that can do this job for you?"

"You don't want to spend some quality time with your father?"

Kim took in the hurt look, but she could also sense the trace of a smile behind that that left her wondering. "It's not that Dad, it's just... Ron hasn't been feeling well, and I wanted to make sure he was all right."

James Possible raised an eyebrow at that, but quickly checked his watch. "Well, I guess I can continue this later, if you'd be willing to help me."

Kim gave him a kiss on the cheek, smiling brightly. "Of course Dad."

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Kim was practically running down the street to get to Ron's when the Kimmunicator went off. With a groan, she pulled it out. "What's the sitch Wade? Get everything squared away for Bonnie and Tara's mission?" Kim didn't even try to hide the sarcasm in her voice.

Wade winced, but he seemed much more composed. "Sorry about that Kim, but we have anouther situation. Duff Killigan is in Paris, and he's threatening to blow up the Eiffel Tower in eight hours if they don't meet his demands. And with Bonnie and Tara on their way to Peru, they don't have time to make the detour, even if they could."

Kim went instantly into mission mode. "Isn't the reconstruction unveiling this Monday?"

"It is, I think that's why he chose it. I know you two said you weren't taking on villain missions right now, but Ron already said yes, and..."

"I'll be there Wade. Where do we have to go?"

"General Fredericks has a plane loaded and ready to go at the airport that will get you there in plenty of time."

Kim nodded quickly. "All right, I'll go get my car, pick up Ron, and we'll get to the airport."

"Oh, don't worry about Ron, he's already there."

Kim's gaze turned hard. "What's Ron doing at the airport? I thought you said he was home?"

Wade's eyes widened, as his confidence disappeared before her eyes. "Umm... well Ron... uhh... oh, Bonnie and Tara need me, talk to you later."

"WADE!"

The screen went dark, and Kim let out a frustrated yell. She was going to get to the bottom of this, and this time, direct from the source. After all, she knew where Ron was, and he wasn't going to get away from her this time."

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"Meditate?"

"Sure KP, have to get the ole monkey mojo working properly."

Kim just gave Ron an incredulous look, a look that seemed to be her standard expression that day. "You're going to answer a few questions first mister."

Ron just shook his head, as he sat in a lotus position, the same position she had found him in. "Sorry KP, can't right now. I have to make sure my body, mind, and spirit are all in tune for what's to come."

"Ron, you can't... RON!" But the blond young man just remained silent. Kim let out a primal yell, noticing Ron didn't even wince, and Kim, hands shaped into claws, just stalked for the cockpit, frustrated beyond belief.

General Fredericks gave her a welcoming smile that never waivered, even as she threw herself into a nearby available seat. "Glad to have you aboard Miss Possible, and really good to see you up and about. Mind telling me what's got you so hot and bothered?"

Kim wanted to be angry with him, but he seemed so earnest in his desire to help. "Ron is just... he's being... ARRGG!"

General Fredericks just chuckled softly. "I wouldn't worry too much about that. He's a guy. Probably doesn't even realize how mad you are. I know I still have trouble telling sometimes when my wife is ready to take a frying pan to my skull, even after all these years."

Kim nodded, but her expression remained unchanged. "All I know is Duff will not be a happy camper when this is over, and Ron had better have a darn good explanation for his behaviour once this is over, or he'll be going through the same thing."

General Fredericks and the pilot exchanged a look, but didn't respond, as it seemed that Kim didn't really want or desire one.

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Kim stood by the open door, glaring angrily at Ron. But Ron was just smiling back at the general.

"We're over the drop zone."

"Thanks General." Ron gave the man one of his trademarked grins. "Can't thank you enough for giving us a lift."

General Fredericks just shook his head. "How many times to I have to tell you, you saved me from nuking a good chunk of England. You've got a lift with me whenever you need it. Now good luck!"

And with that, Ron threw himself out of the plane, Kim right behind. She could see the Eiffel Tower below them, so she adjusted her angle, and counted the seconds until she pulled her chute. With a sharp tug, she pulled the cord, and braced herself as she felt the sudden jerk as the chute halted her descent momentarily. Kim glanced around, and noted Ron had pulled a few seconds earlier, so he was already drifting in right behind her.

Kim carefully guided the chute so she could land on the second level, angling herself to take advantage of wind speed to settle gently on the platform with no problem. She had discussed it with Wade, and they still had this section of the safety meshing off prior to it's grand reopening in two days time, making it the perfect landing point for the two of them. Kim balled up the chute quickly, and watched as Ron, in usual fashion, managed to snag himself on the upper level, leaving him dangling about four feet off the platform. She would have found it amusing if she wasn't so upset with him.

Kim quickly cut him down, watching as he landed deftly on his feet, and then she punched in the Kimmunicator to get ahold of Wade. "All right Wade, we're here. Now where is Duff?"

"Two hundred yards ahead and to the left. You can't miss him."

Kim just cast a glare at Ron, before pocketing the Kimmunicator, and stalking off in the direction indicated. She paused to glance around the corner, but couldn't see anything right away. Slowly, cautiously, Kim inched her way forward, already tiring slightly, but more than ready for what was to come. But when her first examination turned up nothing, she was ready to yell.

"All right, where is he?"

Kim found herself blinded when the lights of the tower shot on, and Kim raised a hand to block her eyes. Afterimages danced behind her closed lids, but she blinked quickly to clear them. When she was sure she had adjusted to the light, she lowered her hand, and found herself shocked.

Dim, twinkling lights lit up the area they were in, only slightly muted by the harsher bright lights of the tower itself. In the darkening twilight, the lights almost elicited a romantic feel. Kim's gaze darted left then right, wondering what was going on. "Ron, what do you..."

Kim was instantly stunned into silence. When she had gotten to the plane, Ron was already in a flight suit. Now, as he slowly knelt down in front of her, he had removed that in favour of the black tux he was now wearing. His eyes sparkled in the gentle lights as he dropped to one knee in front of her, and Kim couldn't help but gasp as she saw the small, velvet box in his hands.

Slowly, reverently, he lifted the lid, showcasing the exquisite diamond ring, set in white gold, with a pair of emeralds surrounding the larger stone on either side. Kim's hand shot to her mouth in shock.

That didn't stop Ron though, as he smiled up at her. "KP, you have been my best friend for as long as I can remember. We have shared everything. You are everything to me. I thank God every day for allowing me to be in your life, and I don't even know what I did to deserve you. When I almost lost you, it was like I lost part of myself, the part of myself that makes everything worthwhile, that makes me me. I don't know what I would do without you in my life. That's why I have to ask you this, the most important, and scariest, question I've ever had to ask in my life. Kim... will you marry me?"

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The dark figure smiled as the pair stood frozen in place before him. It was just as his contact had told him. He had doubted at first, but was very pleasantly surprised, pleased that his money had been well spent. He'd be well compensated after this job. When he saw them parachute in, he quickly moved into position.

He had spent hours contemplating the different angles, focusing on about a half dozen perfect spots that gave him a clear shot at the two. Now, his team had the teens covered from every possible vantage point, there was no way they were going to get away from him, And even if they could get away from his men on the ground, the devices in the tower itself would capture them. He sighted through the scope, grinning evilly. "You're mine!"

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Author's Notes - Well folks, how is that for a cliff-hanger. Now, I'm afraid we'll have to interrupt our regular broadcast for about 3 weeks, as I bring you bonus chapters of Life's Strange Turns... naw, just kidding. Same Kim time, same Kim channel.

Monday, April 16th - Recovery - Chapter 26 - Ron has proposed! But will Kim be given a chance to answer before the mysterious figure takes the shot?


	26. Chapter 26

I don't own, Disney does. Here it is folks, the next big chapter of Recovery, and I do mean big. This one topped 5,000 words (and yes, I know Yvj, that's tiny compared to yours), which is double my normal size. Hope you all enjoy!

Be sure to check out Mr. Wizard's Ronicus Ibericus, the second in his Ronicus series, a very unique read.

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Recovery – Chapter 26

"KP, you have been my best friend for as long as I can remember. We have shared everything. You are everything to me. I thank God every day for allowing me to be in your life, and I don't even know what I did to deserve you. When I almost lost you, it was like I lost part of myself, the part of myself that makes everything worthwhile, that makes me me. I don't know what I would do without you in my life. That's why I have to ask you this, the most important, and scariest, question I've ever had to ask in my life. Kim... will you marry me?"

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_Paris – Ground Level_

The dark figure on the ground smiled brightly. "Oh this is perfect! This is exactly what I need." He zoomed in with the telephoto zoom, until it was like he was standing in front of them. The microphones he had installed, with heavy bribes on his part, were proving worth every penny as the sound quality was excellent, picking up every tone and nuance. This show was going to net him a huge profit, more than any other photo or video he had ever shot. And he had the exclusive! Life couldn't get much better.

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_Ten Minutes Earlier – Possible Residence - Middleton_

James Possible smiled as he tidied up around the house. He knew what was going down right now, and couldn't wait for his Kimmie-Cub to get home, Ronald in tow. Of course, he expected a long wait, had in fact been promised that by Ronald, but that didn't mitigate the events happening.

A knock at the door disturbed his reverie, and James moved to answer. James blinked several times at the passel of teenagers on his front step, including Bonnie, Tara, that young Felix boy, and several others. "I'm sorry, Kim's on... a bit of a mission right now."

Bonnie just smiled a knowing smile. "Oh, I know. But we wouldn't want to miss the show, now would we."

James eyed the young woman carefully. "Show?"

Bonnie just nodded. "Oh yeah, believe me, you won't want to miss this. Is Mrs. Possible around?"

"She's just upstairs." James backed up to let them all in. Except for Bonnie, they all seemed quite confused, and James quickly realized they had no idea what was going to happen. "Umm... what channel should I turn it to."

Bonnie just grinned. "Oh, that won't matter I don't think."

James turned on the television just as the announcer was speaking. "...being told that we have live footage of Ron Stoppable about to propose to longtime friend and girlfriend Kim Possible. We go live now to Paris."

James' eyes went wide. "Andrea, honey, you better get down here!"

So it was that the Possible household was sitting around watching as Ron proposed to Kim, as was much of the world.

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Ron smiled up at Kim expectantly, as her hand dropped slightly, her mouth hanging open. She had not expected this in a million years. Her eyes locked onto the gorgeous ring in Ron's hand, then looked deep into his eyes. "Ron... ARE YOU INSANE?"

Ron's smile faltered at that. "Well... that wasn't quite the response I expected."

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_Paris – Ground Level_

The dark figure on the ground couldn't help but laugh like an evil villain. "Oh this is too good to be true."

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_Possible Residence - Middleton_

A chorus of groans resonated from the Possible household, as they looked at close-ups of both Kim and Ron.

Andrea looked over at her husband as he shook his head slightly. "Well honey, look on the bright side. At least Kimmie reacted better than I did when you proposed. That would have been something to see on the big screen."

James just groaned. "Umbrella... I knew I forgot to warn Ron about something."

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_The Jailhouse - Middleton_

Shego couldn't help but laugh as she watched the events as they happened. "Oh, Princess is gonna be kicking herself when she finds out she went live. She'll never live this down."

Mrs. Lipsky just shook her head. "Now that's not nice. How would you react if the same thing happened when your nice Stevie here pops the question?"

Shego and Steve Barkin both paled at that, and looked at each other. They quickly shook their heads and sank back into the couch.

Ed Lipsky didn't notice, nor care about the exchange, as he smiled, watching the screen. "We need some snacks for this show, seriously! It's just getting good."

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Kim pulled Ron to his feet, her face red and her hands shaking. "Ron, we're not even out of high school yet. How are we supposed to get married now? Oh... if my father ever found out about this, he'd be launching us both into a deep space probe, going in opposite directions."

"KP... Kim... just... give me a chance to explain." Ron gripped her hands tightly, the small ring box closed in one hand for now. "Kim... I know I'm not ready to get married right now. But that doesn't mean that I don't want to spend the rest of my life with you. That's what I told your father when I asked for your hand in marriage."

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_Possible Residence – Middleton_

Andrea Possible turned her head sharply to look over at her husband, who just smiled brightly and proudly. "Hon, we're going to have a talk about keeping me in the dark about that."

James just smiled back at her. "I figured you'd appreciate the surprise."

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Ron steadied himself again, looking deeply into Kim's eyes. "KP, we don't need to go and run off right now and get married. I want this to be a long engagement, so that when we are ready, we've already made the commitment to each other. Kim, all those months when you were in a coma, all I could think about was the day you would wake up. It was then I knew for sure that I never wanted to be apart from you, not for a single moment. Kim... you are my life. Without you, there's little point in going on. That's why I wanted to do this, to ask you this huge question. I just... just..." Ron looked away quickly, a couple of tears sliding down his cheeks.

Kim raised one of her hands, bringing it up to his face and turning him to meet her gaze. "Ron... I never want to be without you either. It was just... when you sprang this on me..." Kim smiled, her fingers tracing a gentle pattern across his cheek. "Ron, you have been with me through everything. From trying to defend me from those bullies in pre-K to the start of my missions, through my coma... even when I didn't deserve it, you were there for me. You've saved my life, you've been a shoulder to cry on, you've been my best friend forever. Ron, there is no one I would rather spend the rest of my life with."

Ron's smile broadened, his own hand coming up to take hers. "KP, do you mean..."

"Did you really ask my Dad for my hand?"

Ron looked down for a moment, before meeting her loving gaze. "Oh yeah. Deep space probes couldn't keep me from you."

"And nothing could keep me from you. Yes Ron."

Ron blinked, his hand gripping hers tighter. "Yes?"

Kim nodded quickly. "Yes Ron, I will marry you!"

Ron wrapped his arms around Kim, lifting her in the air and twirling her around. "YES! YES! BOOYAH!"

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_The Jailhouse – Middleton_

Mrs. Lipsky just sighed, holding a hand to her chest. "Oh that is so beautiful."

Shego just shook her head, leaning back into Steve. "Like it was gonna happen any other way. Those two have been joined at the hip so long, it's a wonder they aren't one person already."

Steve just grinned. "It's about time those kids settled everything." Steve glanced back at the screen, then started to frown. "I'm going to have to keep a closer eye on those two during school hours now for sure after this, aren't I?"

Shego chuckled softly. "Oh yeah. Probably should have a hose ready to go at a moment's notice."

Mrs. Lipsky smiled around at her extended family, and noticed her son staring at the screen intently. "Drewbie, what's the matter?"

Drew 'Drakken' Lipsky glanced briefly at his mother. "I'm waiting for his pants to fall down on live television. Should be happening any moment now."

Ed couldn't hold back the laugh. "Dude, seriously, that's gonna happen later tonight, seriously." Ed paused on his thoughts, a smile spreading. "You think they'll have that live as well? That would be hot, seriously!" Every head in the room turned to look at him, and he cringed back into his seat. "What? Don't tell me I'm the only one who finds Red hot, seriously? I bet she's a screamer."

A bolt of green plasma blasted Ed from his seat to slam into the wall.

_------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_Load Residence – Middleton_

Wade blinked back a few tears as he watched his friends. He had been planning to cut the signal and give his friends their privacy when he first discovered it, but he had to admit, this was something that needed to be seen. After everything, seeing the two of them together like this even made him feel good. Almost good enough to maybe try and find something like that for himself... if he could get past the gross factor. At least he had proved conclusively that cooties weren't based on scientific fact anyways, that was one point in favour of a relationship with a girl.

_------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_Possible Residence – Middleton_

A resounding cheer sounded from all gathered in the living room, as Ron placed the ring on Kim's finger. They could clearly see the tears in her eyes as he slid it on, and then cheered again as the pair locked lips.

Tara was practically swooning as she clutched Josh's arm. "Oh that is so romantic!"

Josh looked first at his girlfriend, then over at Bonnie and Katherine, Felix's girlfriend, and he could see the envious stares their girls were giving Kim and Ron. "Guys... we're in trouble."

James just chuckled as the guys realized their predicaments, sharing a knowing smile with his wife. "Ronald just set something in motion that is going to get him in trouble with ALL the guys in school."

Andrea dabbed at her eyes, smiling. "James, let them worry about that. Our little Kimmie... she's going to get married!"

James wrapped his arms around his wife, holding her close. "I know. And I have to admit, I'm glad it's Ronald. He and Kimmie-cub have been so close over the years and..." James' voice trailed off, and he leaned forward quickly. "What does Ronald think he's doing with his hands there?"

Andrea had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. "Dear... just so long as it's not where Kimmie's hands seem to be going, it should be fine."

James' attention shifted, his eyes widening in alarm. "KIM!"

_------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

A half hour later, Kim and Ron were sitting comfortably in a small cafe within sight of the Eiffel Tower. Of course, first had been the quick trip to the boutique, where Kim selected a dress that, apparently, Ron had already paid for. During that time, Kim could only gush as she kept looking down at the ring on her finger. Ron looked on silently, grinning like a kid in a candy store... or more like Ron in an arcade. It was a black, strapless gown that she finally settled on, and she smiled as she watched her fiancee's eyes bug out when he saw her in it for the first time.

But now that they were seated, Kim could get her mind around the whirlwind turn of events as she sat staring at Ron in his tux, something that made Ron seem so much more mature. She looked around again, marveling at everything. "Ron, how were you able to do all this? I mean... you had to have some help."

Ron nodded quickly, his smile never fading. "Well, Wade helped with some of the details, helping me get in touch with people and that."

"But how? I mean... I guess I know how, but when..."

"About a week after you woke up." Now Ron's smile faltered briefly, and when it returned, it was a bit more wistful. "KP, it was really hard for me, with you hurt like that. But when you woke up... it was like... my whole life started again. I mean, I know my life was still going on, but... it just wasn't the same without you there every step of the way like you've always been." Ron's eyes sparkled as he looked into her bright green eyes. "KP, I missed you so much, I can't tell you how much I love you."

"Oh Ron..." Kim leaned across the table, sharing a kiss with the love of her life. When she pulled away, she had a mischievous grin on her face. "All right, so who helped you keep this from me. I want names, and I want them now."

Ron laughed softly as he leaned back in his seat. "Well, Wade obviously. He connected the calls for me, and arranged for the payments from my account. Oh, the General on the plane knew what I was planning, he was the only one Wade and I felt comfortable asking for this favour, and the manager of the Eiffel Tower. He figured it would be great publicity when they reopened the Tower on Monday." Ron leaned back in his seat, his mind slipping into memories of the past weeks. "My Dad knows, I had to ask him to let me get into my naco money for this after all..."

_"Hey Dad, can I talk to you for a moment?"_

_Gerald Stoppable looked up from his paperwork, noting the serious expression on his son's face. "Of course Ronald, what's on you mind? Everything is going all right with Kimberly, isn't it? I know coming back from something like this isn't easy, your Uncle Gene went through something similar after knee surgery."_

_"No, everything's fine there. You know Kim, she won't let anything stop her from getting back into the best shape she can. She's already trying to walk before she's supposed to."_

_Gerald nodded, trying to figure out what else could be bothering his son. "All right then, if it's not then, what's bothering you?"_

_Ron took a seat opposite his father, looking down at the floor. For a few moments, they just sat there, and Gerald worried that something had gone seriously wrong. When Ron did speak, it startled him. "I want to marry Kim."_

_Gerald waited for Ron to say more, but he didn't, and Gerald had to wonder what the problem was. "I figured as much son, you and Kim seem to be great together, from what I've seen. The two of you have been together for so long. If this is about how your mother and the rest of the family might react, with Kim not being Jewish, you know your mother is behind the two of you one hundred percent. As for the rest of the family..."_

_"I... I don't mean in the future. Dad... I want to propose to Kim... sometime in the next few weeks."_

_When Ron looked up to meet his father's eyes, Gerald could see the earnestness there, and the determination. Ron rarely ever looked at him this way, and Gerald knew how serious he was about this. "Have you thought through all the ramifications of this?"_

_"Ram... if..."_

_"Consequences?"_

_Ron nodded quickly. "I have Dad. And it's not like I'm planning on dragging Kim to the alter right now, I just... I just wanted her to know how much she means to me, how much I want us to be together always. You know what I mean? I just... I was just hoping to get some money..."_

_Gerald did know what his son meant. He had watched his son over the previous months as Kimberly had lain in a coma. He had watched fearfully as his seemed to drift away those first few weeks after she had been hurt, and it had troubled him greatly. And then, almost like magic, Ron had come back from a late night visit that Andrea had set up for him, and it was like he was a new man. He had resumed missions, eventually working with that Bonnie girl, which was a bit of a surprise considering how Kimberly had talked about her before, and it was like he had a knew outlook on life. There was still a sadness, but it seemed Ron was no longer determined to fade away. The day Kimberly woke up..."_

_"Ron, how much do you need?"_

"So your Dad said that? Just... how much do you need after making sure you thought about it?"

Ron grinned at that. "Yeah, I mean, I thought I was going to have to go over everything with him. Especially with his job and all... whatever that is, all I know is it's a LOT of numbers and paperwork."

Kim took a sip from her coffee, a French vanilla blend that seemed appropriate. "Well, you already mentioned you talked to my Dad. That couldn't have been easy."

Ron shook his head at that. "No, it really wasn't. I mean, I talked to my Dad about a week after you woke up. But you're Dad... well... I kept putting that off... that is, until Wednesday..."

Kim's eyes bugged out, and she actually sputtered, fighting hard to keep the small sip of coffee from spewing across the table. When she had finally settled down, she leaned across the table. "Ron, you can't be serious. You asked him for permission the day..."

Ron nodded quickly. "When the email came out, oh yeah. I mean, we had this big talk in the car, and things were said, and I thought... I mean..."

_James took a moment, blinking back the small tear struggling to get free. "Ronald, I love you like a son, and I want you to know just how important you are in this family. I just want you to promise me that you won't hurt Kimmie, and that you two will be careful."_

_Ron nodded thoughtfully, blinking back a couple tears himself. "Yes sir."_

_James turned to look over at the young man beside him. "Ron, I think you can call me Dad if you want."_

_Ron blinked in surprise, then smiled. "Sure... Dad."_

_"Good. Then let's get back to the house. I'm sure the ladies are probably worried sick by now."_

_Ron nodded, before his expression turned serious. "Mr. Dr. P... Dad, can I ask you something?"_

_James gave Ron a brief look before nodding. "Sure, what is it?"_

_Ron took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "Umm... Dad... I was wondering... that is, I would like... I would like to have, that is to say, ask your permission... to ask Kim... I mean, ask for her hand in marriage."_

_James paused at that, looking over at the very uncertain young man beside him. "If this has to do with what we just talked about..."_

_"No, no, it doesn't, not really." Ron fidgeted slightly, his fingers twisting. "I've been... thinking about it for some time, and I talked to my own Dad about a week after Kim woke up, but I just... I couldn't find the right time to talk to you about it, and I was hoping to propose to Kim this Saturday, and I knew I had to talk to you first about this, but I just couldn't and..."_

_"Ronald!" James waited for the young man to catch his breath again, half fearing the way he had been breathing for the last half hour would cause him to pass out or something, and allowed Ron to gradually settle down. "Ronald, do you think you're ready for this step? Marriage is an awfully big thing to be considering at your age."_

_"I'm sure sir." And James could see that in the young man's eyes, as their eyes met unflinchingly. "And like I told my Dad, I don't plan to ask Kim to marry me next week. We still have college and all that. But... I just want Kim to know how much I love her, and with everything that's happened..." Ron trailed off, but only for a moment. "I just want Kim to know how much I love her, and how much I always want to be with her."_

_James nodded at that, looking out at the road in front of them for a moment, remembering the way things went with Andrea when he approached her father. The older man hadn't made it easy on him, and he always wanted to make sure that he gave anyone who approached him an easier time. Considering the earlier circumstances of the day, that promise seemed a bit lost, but that didn't mean the future had to be as rocky as it was for him and his father-in-law. After all, this was Ronald, and as he had already said, Ron was already family, whether he and Kim tied the knot or not._

_He turned back to Ron, who was looking on anxiously. "Ronald, you have my blessing, you always did. But let's discuss a few additional details, shall we?"_

"You're not going to tell me those other details, are you?" Kim was picking at her salad as she listened to Ron speak.

"Hey, us guys have our guy talk as well. You wouldn't want Monique to start spilling on what you two talk about, do you?"

Kim just gave Ron a strange grin before taking a bite of her salad. "So I take it that's it? My Mom didn't know, none of our friends besides Wade..." Kim paused when she saw the uncomfortable look on Ron's face. "All right, who else?"

"Umm... Bonnie..."

"You told Bonnie?"

"I didn't tell Bonnie, she... I mean, my mind is pretty much an open book..."

"Okay, so how did she find out?"

"Well... it was yesterday, after your prom committee meeting..."

_"Hey Bonnie, where's Kim?"_

_Bonnie glanced over at Ron as he entered the classroom turned meeting room and smiled. Even though it had been months since they first became friends, it always made her feel good the way he stood by her. Even when he didn't have to, he was there for her, much like Tara always had been. Of course, that bond had only gotten stronger between them, first with the missions, and then her burgeoning abilities that seemed to have no trouble advancing with his help. She had so much to be grateful to him for, and she hoped she could develop a similar bond with Kim at some point. Of course, the way Kim acted during the meeting today... and just like that, the smile was gone._

_"Hey Ron, Kim just went to go get something from her locker."_

_Ron winced as he caught her expression. "The meeting went that bad, huh?"_

_Bonnie sighed, slumping into a nearby seat. "No, not bad exactly, it's just... she thinks she has to be in charge of everything, and she never admits when she's wrong, because heaven forbid miss perfect is ever wrong and... and..." Bonnie groaned, tossing her head back. "Ron, you know I'm trying, I really am. But it's like she does it just to get to me. Do you understand what that's like?"_

_Bonnie waited for Ron to answer, and when he didn't right away, she looked over at him, and saw him fighting back a laugh. _

_"What?"_

_Ron just grinned, taking a moment to calm down. "It's just... that's the EXACT same thing that Kim said about you yesterday."_

_Bonnie gave Ron a whithering gaze, before she slowly broke into a grin. "All right, so we're closer than we like to admit, sue me. She's still not easy to get along with." Bonnie sighed, glancing down at the notes from the meeting. "Maybe I'll go over to her place this weekend some time, and we can go over the things she's missed, and we can settle the issue. Thanks Ron."_

_Bonnie laid a hand on Ron's before the blond could pull away, and Bonnie's eyes went wide as she saw into his mind. Ron stepped back quickly, his eyes locking onto hers. "Bonnie, you can't say anything."_

_"YOU'RE GOING TO ASK... HRRMMFF..." Ron slapped a hand over Bonnie's mouth, silencing her before she could say something further. _

_"Bonnie, please, I want it to be a surprise when I ask her tomorrow. Can you not yell, please?"_

_Bonnie nodded vigorously, and when Ron let her go, she spun around quickly. "Oh my... Ron, this is huge! And Paris, the Eiffel Tower..." Bonnie let loose a quiet squeal that earned a reproving look from Ron. "Sorry, this is just..."_

_"What's going on?"_

_Ron and Bonnie turned to look over at Kim, who was giving Bonnie a strange look. Bonnie just grinned and grabbed her stuff quickly. "Oh nothing much K, you have a good night... and a good weekend too."_

_After Bonnie had left, Kim turned her attentions to Ron. "What's up with her?"_

_"_So that's why she was acting so funny."

Ron nodded, smiling. "Yeah, I was afraid she was going to blow it. I'm just glad the sitch with the Tweebs kept your mind off it."

The waiter was bringing them their main course with a bit of a flourish, and Kim looked at him strangely. When he was done, he stood there a moment, just smiling. "Anything I can help you with?"

"Oui, I was just wondering if I could get your... umm... signature?"

Kim smiled back in return, taking his notepad from him and signing it for him. When she handed it back, he passed it on to Ron, who did the same thing.

"Merci! I think it is so... what is the word... cool, that you are letting the cameras follow your engagement to one anouther."

Kim's smile disappeared in an instant, her gaze quickly shifting to look around the area. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, I just mean, it is such a beautiful story you two share. We all in the kitchen have been watching since the Tower." The waiter paused, waving to a point past the two teens. "Allo Mama!"

Kim whipped out the Kimmunicator quickly. "Wade, what's going on?"

Wade was looking back sheepishly, trying to look small. "Umm... hey Kim. It wasn't my idea, but..."

"Just cut the feed Wade, and we'll talk about this later."

Wade's fingers flashed across the keyboard quickly. "Done and done. And just so you know, after I found out about it, I made sure the studios all were made aware that this was an illegal broadcast, but so long as they contributed the wedding fund, there wouldn't be a problem."

Kim's fingers tightened around the device. "Wade, that's not how I like to do things, you know that."

Wade shrugged. "It was an illegal broadcast before anyways, this just made things legal, so they wouldn't be sued like the guy filming everything, a Pappi Ratzi. Besides, when you do get married, you've got a REALLY nice wedding fund. Money is still coming in, but you're pushing close to seven figures right now."

Kim and Ron's eyes both bugged out. "Seven figures? From one or two stations?"

Now Wade really sank into his seat. "Umm... maybe a few more than that."

Kim sighed, closing her eyes. "How many Wade?"

"Well..." Wade checked a couple figures on the screen, "I'd say it was closer to two hundred world-wide." When Kim groaned, Wade tried to lighten the mood. "If it's any consolation, you guys just had the highest rated reality show in history, even beating out that American Starmaker All-Star finale!"

Kim shut off the Kimmunicator without saying anouther word and lay her head down on the table. Ron moved to her side, gently rubbing her back. "Come on KP, it can't be that bad."

Kim lifted her head just enough to look at him. "Ron, EVERYONE saw the proposal. That's means everyone say what I said to you."

Ron just chuckled softly. "No big KP. After all, they also would have seen you say yes as well, now wouldn't they have, future Mrs. Stoppable?"

Kim gave Ron a wry grin. "Mrs. Stoppable... I think I like it. Now get over here fiancee, and continue to cheer me up." Ignoring their cooling meal on the table in front of them, the two of them just shared one chair, kissing softly and whispering nothing of consequence to each other.

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Kim couldn't bear to take her arms off from around Ron to part. After dinner, there had been dancing, and after that, the long, but eventful, plane ride home, where Kim had been severely tempted to try joining the mile high club, but didn't want that to be their first time together. Kim did resolve to join that club after their first time together though, which she felt was rapidly approaching.

For the third time since they got out of the car, the two of them were kissing, pausing this time just short of the doorstep. When they parted again, gasping for breath, Kim just looked deeply into Ron's eyes. "I love you."

Ron kissed her softly on the nose. "I love you too."

"Ahem." Both teens jumped a bit when they noticed Mr. Possible standing behind them, his arms crossed over his chest. "You're a little past curfew, aren't you?"

"Daddy? It's only eight o'clock in the evening."

James Possible's frown disappeared, a grin tugging at the sides of his mouth. "Yes, but everyone is getting quite impatient to start this engagement party. Your mother is already climbing the walls wanting to see you."

Monique stuck her head through the door past Kim's father, smiling brightly. "Girl, you and that fiancée better get your butts in here fast before we send Jim and Tim out to bring you in, and girl... I KNOW you don't want that punishment."

Kim and Ron laughed as, holding hands, they made their way into the house, the squeals starting even before the door had closed behind them.

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Author's Notes – Props to MrDrP, Pappi Ratzi is all his.

Well it's back to school for Kim and Ron, and just because their engaged doesn't mean that the rest of the world has stopped. And just what happens when a new substitute fills in unexpectedly? Stay tuned for this Sunday... really, I mean it this time, it's already written and everything. lol


	27. Chapter 27

I don't own, Disney does. Be sure to check out KPTZ2 The Middleton Files : 001 My Bonnie Lamb. It's by the new collaborative team of KP-TZ2, with CaptainKodak, Cpneb, and many others. And I'm not just recommending it because I'm the handsome ambulance attendant who gives Bonnie mouth to mouth in the first chapter either... that's just a bonus! hehehe

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Recovery – Chapter 27

"Girl, that rock is just blinding! Think that boy of yours would spring for one for me?"

Kim just gave her best girlfriend a look. "Don't even think about it."

Since getting to school, Kim and Ron had been swamped by people congratulating them on their engagement. In fact, it had gotten so bad, the two of them, flanked by their friends of the same sex, had split the two of them off and marched with them down separate corridors to get to their first class. It had worked to divert most of the attention the two of them together caused, especially when anyone approaching could be headed off by a mean-looking Brick or a very vicious Bonnie, who despite the change in attitude, could still inspire fear amongst their fellow students when she was angry enough.

Surprisingly, despite coming down separate hallways, the two managed to meet up just in front of the class, and the two instantly joined hands.

Ron was leaning in, his smile evident. "Hello future Mrs. Soppable."

Kim was leaning in as well, their lips almost touching now. "And hello to you too Mr. Stoppable."

Bonnie leaned in now as well. "Can you two give that a rest? You've been doing that all weekend, and it's starting to get annoying."

Tara just sulked beside Bonnie. "Oh come on, it's cute."

Bonnie turned to give her a look. "Of course it's cute. I even said it was cute... for the first two days. Now they're moving into sappy, Mouse Ears channel sweet, and that's just way too much for me to take, especially this early in the morning."

"Besides," the gruff voice of Mr. Barkin, who had walked up behind the teens silently, causing them to jump, "I'm sure you are both aware of this school's rules on public displays of affection. So unless the happy couple would like to spend the rest of their high school careers in detention, I suggest you get into that classroom NOW."

The gathered teens quickly complied, filing into the classroom, and were very dismayed to find Mr. Barkin following them into the class. Ron eyed him wearily as they all took their seats, and Mr. Barkin remained standing at the front of the classroom.

Steve Barkin cleared his throat, looking out over the students. "All right people, listen up. Miss Carlson won't be finishing out the school year thanks to a freak para-sailing accident, so..."

"You're not gonna be covering this class too, are you?" Ron's cry was plaintive and heartfelt, and Steve Barkin fought back a grin.

"No Stoppable, if you had been QUIET and listened to me as you should have, you would have heard that I would not be replacing her in this class. I have other commitments. I did however find a suitable replacement for Miss Carlson's English class." Steve Barkin chuckled, a sound that terrified the students of the classroom, especially with the seeming joy he was taking in handing off the class to anouther teacher. Ron was now thoroughly scared.

Steve Barkin turned to the open door now, smiling. "Class, I'd like you to welcome your new English teacher for the rest of the year."

A tall, dark-haired figure strode confidently into the room, smiling in an almost predatory fashion. Her pale skin, highlighted by darker make up, was a sharp contrast to the almost professional outfit she wore, with a black skirt that hung just over the knees, and a pale green blouse. Of course, everyone there pretty much recognized her right away, and to see her there came as quite a shock.

"SHEGO?"

Shego just chuckled at the chorus of her name, her eyes darting around the classroom. "Well, you sure gave me an attentive bunch, didn't you Steve?"

Steve cast a glance around the class, looking at all their stunned faces before turning back to Shego. "Just remember, no flames. I don't need the school board coming down on me because you were frying students."

Shego just smiled demurely, a look she could actually pull off the way she was dressed. "Now Steve, I would never do that."

Steve gave her one last look before heading out the door, closing it behind him. Once he was gone, Shego sat on the top of her desk, her legs crossed in front of her. "All right kiddies, here's how it's gonna be. I am your teacher, Miss Go. Some of you may know me as Shego, and if you call me that in class, I guarantee your final weeks here will be hell. Some of you," she gave a pointed look towards Ron, Kim, and Bonnie, "know my first name, which I like to keep to myself. Since I know who knows it and where you live, let's not hear it at all, shall we." Shego's smile was sickly sweet, and just a bit scary. "On one final note..." Shego uncrossed and recrossed her legs quickly, far to fast to really see anything, but two boys jaws dropped in shock. Both of them quickly took a shot of plasma to the face, thankfully set only to a level of minor force, knocking them to the floor. "As I was saying, on a final note, I know I look good, you know I look good. You let it disrupt my class, or I catch you staring at my ass, what you just saw was a love tap compared to what I will do to you. Does everyone understand me?"

The quick chorus of 'Yes ma'am' and 'Yes Miss Go' left Shego with a satisfied grin on her face, especially the ones that came from the two students struggling back into their seats. "All right then people, since you're so attentive, let's have a bit of a question and answer session then." Shego glanced around the class, noting a few tentative hands. Of course, the one she expected was right there, attached to a very confused but determined Kim Possible. "Yes Princess, you have a question?"

Kim lowered her hand quickly, glaring back at Shego. "What are you doing here?"

Shego hopped up off the desk to pace at the front of the room. "A direct question, and a good one. Nice to see our little Princess can pay attention." Shego fought the urge to laugh as she heard the sound of grinding teeth. "Short answer... I was bored. I have my degree in early childhood education, and when I heard about all the teacher problems here, I threw my hat in the ring so to speak." Shego walked over to Kim, leaning forward. "So to answer, I have the accreditation to be here, teaching was an early love of mine, and the chance to be your teacher was far too good to pass up." She gave the teen a smirk, before standing back up, smiling to the class.

Bonnie had her hand up now as well. While her expression wasn't as harsh as Kim's was, it still harboured some suspicion. Shego just grinned as she moved towards her. "Yes Cheerleader, what can I answer for you?"

Bonnie paused a moment, glaring at the nickname. "Yes, I was just wondering what you'd be able to teach us about english, since you've spent so much time working with a mad scientist that mangles the language at every turn?"

Shego gave a mock gasp of indignation. "Oh Cheerleader, you wound me... you really wound me." Shego gave her a grin, turning her back on the teen. "To answer your question, if you haven't got the basics down at this point, someone screwed up royally. No, I plan to focus on some of the literary classics in these last few weeks; Shakespeare in particular. I was thinking a nice exposition on his most well-known classic, Romeo and Juliet, given the... entertaining show the Princess and the Buffoon put on for all of us this weekend."

Tara was frantically raising her hand, trying to attract her attention, and Shego finally decided to put the girl out of her misery. "Yes, the blond bimbo with her hand up."

Tara's eyes went wide at that comment, and she almost jumped out of her seat. "Bimbo? I am not a bimbo!"

Shego just waved her hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just ask your question."

Tara glared for a moment more, before putting it aside. "Are we going to have to act out any of the play?"

Shego practically threw herself into her desk chair, and it slid in behind the desk. She brought herself to a halt by bringing her legs up and planting them on the desk, smiling all the while. "Bingo, get the Bimbo a prize. That's exactly what we're going to do. You see, I always hated assignments and projects and tests, they don't prove anything. But actually performing the plays, living the experience, that's where you learn. In fact, since I'm in charge, we're going to put on a little play that will be the equivalent of your final exam."

Murmurs of protest echoed around the room, and Shego just grinned, preparing for the final element. "Oh, and besides our discussions about the book, which will be marked, I already talked everything over with the drama department, and you'll be able to perform the play in front of the entire school in the final week of school."

Now the murmurs became full blown protests, and Shego just lit her hands in response, firing a few harmless bursts over the class's heads. When the students calmed down enough, Shego sat back in her seat. "Now now, I've got the full permission from the school to do this, and this will be worth the final..." Shego glanced down at her notes, smiling, "forty percent of your mark. Looks like we're gonna have a lot of fun, aren't we kiddies. I know I will."

Just then, there was a knock at the door, and Shego swung her legs off the desk and rose to answer it. A glaring Miss Hatchet entered with a large box in her hands, looking over the class. "I have the copies of the book you wanted. I better get all these back before the end of the school year."

Shego smiled as she took the box, looking inside. "Oh no worries there, I think my students understand what would happen if their copy happened to disappear on them, now don't we?" She glanced around the room, and saw the nods and shifting butts. "Thank you Miss Hatchet."

The older librarian gave the class one last glare, before turning and heading off down the hall. Shego planted the box on the desk, a satisfied grin on her face. "All right..." she glanced over the front row before settling on one student, "you, geek boy, the one with the glasses, pass these out to everyone in the class."

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"Can you believe what she's having us do?" Kim was pacing the gym, her agitation clear.

"Oh come on, KP, it isn't that bad." Ron was working to try and calm his fiancée, who, dressed in her cheerleading outfit to work out a bit with the squad, wasn't even paying attention to the rest of the squad stretching and working out. "I mean really, is it the assignment, or is it just cause it's Shego doing this that you have a problem with it?"

Kim turned to glare at her fiancée. "Ron, it is so not because Shego is the one assigning this, this is just ferociously unfair."

"So if it was Mr. Barkin who assigned this, you'd react as strongly?"

"YES!" Kim froze, her arms crossing over her chest, and then the tension left her body. "All right, so maybe I wouldn't react AS strongly, but it's still not fair."

Ron just grinned, and sat back down on the bench. "Hey, I happen to agree with you. Have you read this thing? I can't understand half of what they're saying, and I'm barely five pages in so far. I have no idea how I'm going to actually act in this thing."

Shego smiled as she sat in the rafters, watching the two teens talk. Up until now, she'd had no chance to take advantage of the deal she had made with Kim. Five days ago, they had come to an agreement of sorts, to help her with her return to form mentally. And if getting the green light to attack her whenever she wanted with no repercussions was deemed treatment, she was going to take full advantage of that deal to the fullest.

Judging the distance, waiting until Kim was right below her, Shego dropped quickly from the ceiling. Landing lightly on her feet with practiced ease, even with the long drop, Shego quickly wrapped her arms around Kim's neck, her mouth close to Kim's ear. "Heya Princess!" Kim shrieked loudly, and Ron was on his feet in an instant. It was, however, someone else who reacted first.

A quick right shot out, catching Shego across the chin, forcing her to let go of Kim and fall to the floor. She noticed Kim fall forward into Ron, already shaking, but Shego reserved her glare for the chipper blond who was smiling down at her. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Tara brought a hand up to her mouth in shock. "Oh, I am so sorry Shego, I guess I was just too much of a blond bimbo to remember that this was part of Kim's rehabilitation, and that you were just acting as you were asked to. Silly me." The last part was said with as much sarcasm as she could muster, which really, wasn't that much, but the message was delivered.

Shego rubbed her jaw, smiling up at the blond teen. "You got real guts Blondie, I like that. We're gonna have to talk more." Shego leapt to her feet, startling Tara, and Shego just sniffed at the reaction, smiling. "How's Princess?"

Shego glanced over to see Kim held tight in Ron's arms, shivering like she had been dropped in the arctic in that outfit, and the humour went right out of the situation. Shego took a step forward, her hand out. "Princess? Kim... you okay?"

Kim batted the hand away, turning to glare up at the green-skinned ex-villainess. "You get your jollies in? Huh? You have your laugh?"

Shego backed up a step, bumping into a couple of the other cheerleaders. "Kim... I didn't... I mean, I knew..." All Shego could do was look into Kim's eyes, at what those eyes told more than anything, and Shego felt sick.

"Just... just leave me alone."

Ron turned her back to face him, whispering softly to her. Tara and Bonnie also just looked on, as did the rest of the squad, and Shego took that opportunity to leave as quickly as possible.

As she reached the doors though, Barkin was there, just coming through, and saw the position that Kim and Ron were in. Before he could say a word though, Shego grabbed him and dragged him back into the hall.

Steve Barkin wasn't used to being manhandled on school property, and turned his attentions directly to his girlfriend. "Cheese and crackers, what's the problem. And why were you letting them cuddle like that on school property. You're a teacher, and you have... rules..." Steve trailed off as he saw the stricken look on her face, and his tone changed from disciplinarian to boyfriend mode instantly. "What happened?"

Shego kept running her hand over her mouth, shaking her head. "I didn't think it was that bad... I mean, jump her, have a bit of a scuffle like old times, and laugh about it afterwards. But the look in her eye... Steve... that's the same look I had after... after..."

Steve Barkin defied his own rules in that moment and pulled her into a hug, almost cradling her. Shego fought off the urge to cry, but that didn't stop her from shaking like a leaf, almost as much as Kim. He held her against him, rocking her slowly. "Maybe... maybe you should tell her what happened to you. It's not the same thing, but... it is still a violation of everything. She might... understand you better, and where you come from."

Shego looked up into her boyfriend's loving gaze and took a deep breath. "I'll... I'll think about it."

"That's all I ask."

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Author's Notes – Well, this wasn't quite what everyone expected, no was it? I've had a lot of people ask when I was going to have the deal start between Kim and Shego, but I don't think anyone expected this. Remember, Kim feels almost violated by what happened, and it's obvious Shego, who went through something even worse, finally understands that. Not exactly the regular sitch, now is it?

Up next... Kim and Shego have a talk, and Kim gets back in the saddle. Stay tuned!


	28. Chapter 28

I don't own Kim Possible, Disney does

No own, no money, please no sue!

Folks, I apologize. It has been WAY too long since I updated this. This series has been my baby, and I've been neglecting it. I promise, no more year long delays between updates. As well, like I said in my Valentine's Surprise update, the special project continues apace and should finish this week. The next update you should see though will be a chapter of anouther story neglected even longer than this one called Life's Strange Turns. For those who don't know, it's my Kigo story. As many requests as I had for an update on this, I had as many for that, so stay tuned. Now, onto the long awaited update of Recovery.

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Recovery – Chapter 28

Shego watched through the gym door windows as the cheerleaders worked on their routine. Tara was leading the squad, ever since Bonnie's injury, and Bonnie hadn't reclaimed it since she had returned. Kim was also on the floor, stretching and moving with them, though it was obvious the fluid motion that came naturally to her before was still mssing. Considering how short a time it had been since she had woken up from her coma, the fact that she was out there at all was remarkable.

But Shego wasn't watching the cheerleaders for the sake of catching their routine. She was trying to work up the courage to do the hardest thing she had ever done; talk to Kim about her past. It wasn't something she liked to talk about. As far as she knew, not even a handful of people knew about what had happened to her, and that list included her brother Hego, her boyfriend Steve, and Ron.

Thing was, she liked all three of them in some manner. Even when he was stopping her, she had an admiration for Ron for trying, knowing he was out of their league. Yet when Kim was hurt, he stepped up, and Shego could see the man that he could be. Her brother Henry, Hego, could be the biggest pain in the ass in the world, but she had to admit, he would be there for her if she asked. And Steve... she just loved Steve, even if he could be infuriating.

But telling Kim was different. She didn't like Kim. She respected her well enough, no question there, but like? She could grow to like her maybe, but the two of them just had way too much history to just suddenly be friends. And this wasn't something you just told anyone. This was painful, and she barely liked telling those friends that knew. This would be three times worse.

She was almost ready ready to strangle Steve for talking her into this. He knew how much this hurt her. But there was also the look in Kim's eyes, a look she had seen many years ago reflected back at her in the mirror, a look she swore she'd never let herself experience again.

A look she had caused in a girl she respected but could barely stand.

Shego gave a loud groan and pushed her way through the doors. The practice ground to a quick halt as all eyes turned to see Shego stride towards them looking angry.

Kim wasn't going to have any of that. "What do you want now Shego?"

"Stuff it Possible, we have to chat, and it's Miss Go when we're at school."

Ron stepped forward quickly, trying to transpose himself between the two obviously hostile females. "She... umm... Miss Go, maybe now isn't..."

"Ron..." Shego looked into Ron's eyes and he could see the pain there. "I have to have a talk with Kim about a... similar incident. Understand?"

Ron took a moment to figure out what she was saying but when he did he quickly backed out of the way, much to the surprise of the cheerleading squad. Kim looked questioningly at her boyfriend before turning back to Shego. "Talk? About what?"

Shego shook her head quickly. "Not here, outside. Also, this is not an easy talk, so one of you cheerleaders want to pass me a smoke?"

The cheerleaders all looked among themselves quickly. It was Hope who spoke first. "Uhh... none of us smoke."

Shego just glared her down. "Oh come on, you can't tell me all you cheerleaders are goodie-goodies. One of you has to have a smoke on them." When no one moved, Shego sighed. "Urgh... fine. It's because I'm a teacher isn't it. Fine, I'm going to close my eyes and hold out my hand and I better find a cigarette in my hand pretty quick." With a roll of the eyes, Shego shut them and held out her hand. It only took a few seconds before she felt the familiar feel of a cigarette slide between her fingers. She waited a few moments more and opened her eyes, seeing everyone standing where they were. "Good, now come on Princess, let's go chat."

Shego led Kim out the back door, waiting only for the door to close and a quick check to make sure they were alone before she began. "Look Possible, I don't like you and you don't like me, but I respect you. That's why I'm going to tell you this." Shego paused to put the cigarette to her lips. Flaring her hand briefly, she lit the smoke, taking a long drag. "It's not the same thing you went through, but in a way it is."

Kim stood there with her arms crossed in front of her, not sure where this was going. "What are you talking about? And does Ron know about this?"

"Stoppable knows, I told him back when Monkey Fist was making his big power grab. I needed him to know why I was there. You... you need to know why I'm going to help you now."

Kim just looked on with disbelief. "So now you're going to help me out of the goodness of your heart?"

"No, I'm not. I'm still gonna do it for the joy of getting to ambush your ass whenever I want." That elicited a bit of a smirk from Kim. "But I also understand better now why you need the help. See, it was the look in your eyes after I attacked you. I've seen that look before... in myself, years ago."

Kim's eyes widened slightly. "You?"

"Yeah, yeah. See, I thought your problem was just getting a beat down by Monty. Remember, I missed most of your freakout before at Senior's island. Now I understand it better. You feel like you were violated." Kim looked away quickly, and Shego understood the feeling. "Don't worry, I understand. I was violated as well once. Bastard by the name of Doctor Chaos, kidnapped me and my boyfriend right out of school. Spent two days torturing Jason while I was chained to the wall, watching helplessly. Then, when he killed him, he turned his attentions to me, raped me while the man I loved was lying only a few feet away. Hego found me, I killed Chaos, Hego hid the body..."

That comment caught Kim's attentions, and Shego chuckled, despite the nature of the story. "Yeah, Hego. Big blue idiot, defender of justice, dumped a body for me. Never told me where. Of course, I think that's where all his real psych problems came up, couldn't face the reality. Thing was, after that, I couldn't get near a man without reacting the same way you did when I attacked you. I had that same damn look in my eyes that you had. First time I saw that look in the mirror though, I decided I wasn't gonna be a victim anymore. That's also when I started my downward slide into villainy in case your wondering, not like that pansy version Hego told you. We've talked a couple times since he got out of the funny farm, he remembers what happened now. Point is, I refused to become a victim anymore, but I went the wrong way about doing it. Will you?"

Kim closed her eyes as she consider what Shego told her. "Wow... I never knew..."

Shego stubbed out the butt on the ground, tossing it to the side. "Now you do. So, I'm going to keep ambushing you like we talked about, but now you know why I'm going to do it. I won't be laughing, you won't get angry, and you help Ron get through this at the same time. He's working through a lot of pain, same as you. I lost my rock back then. You two still have your rocks, each other, and I'm going to make damn sure you get through this," Shego smirked at the younger woman, "even if I don't like you all that much."

Kim smirked back at Shego. "Thanks. And don't worry, I still don't like you much either."

"Glad we cleared that up. Now let's get back in there so you can join the other airheads in your stupid jumping jack routine to keep the horny guys of this school entertained."

"HEY!" But Shego was already back through the door, smiling all the while. The smile didn't last long as she saw Ron, Bonnie and Tara huddled around the Kimmunicator.

Kim saw them as well and rushed over. "What's the sitch?"

Wade noticed Kim quickly, even through the press of heads. "Flooding in the Yucatan is threatening a village. It will take hours for response from authorities and they need help fast. I was just telling Bonnie and Tara..."

"No." All eyes flashed to Kim quickly in confusion, so Kim quickly clarified. "I think this would be the perfect mission to get back into the swing of things."

Ron was looking at Kim with concern now. "KP, I don't think that would be such..."

Kim quickly cut him off. "Ron, I said we would avoid all missions relating to villains, but I have to get back into game shape. This will be the perfect first test. I'll even wear the super suit just to be on the safe side."

"You sure KP?"

"I'm sure Ron." Kim turned to Shego, who was still standing off to the side. "You still have access to that jet?"

Shego smiled, one hand on her hip. "No problem Princess. I'll just bill Global Justice for the expense. Give me twenty minutes."

Kim smiled a nodded. "All right then, meet us at my house then. That should give me time to get ready. Wade, send the coordinates to Shego's jet. We're going to rescue those people."

--

Kim tightened the cord around her waist, making sure everything was ready. She was feeling good, even more than she was when she went to rescue Ron and the others from Senior. She was getting back into the missions under her terms, not the terms set out by someone else. It felt right, even with Ron's concerned looks. She knew why he felt that way, she would feel the same way if the situation had been reversed, but this was something she had to do.

"Man KP, it doesn't look good down there." Ron was looking out the window at the village below, only the rooftops showing above the waters.

Kim glanced over at her boyfriend with a reassuring smile. "It will be fine Ron. Did Wade get back yet with the evacuation numbers from the Mexican government?"

Ron moved over to double-check her harness, ensuring everything was set. "He says about ninety percent of the village got out before the flood waters got too high. There might be as many as twenty people left trapped though."

"Then let's focus on them." Kim hit the button for the intercom, alerting Shego. "See anyone yet?"

"I've got at least ten on rooftops right now that I can make out, nothing more definite than that."

Kim glanced worriedly at Ron. "Can this plane accommodate that many people without having to make multiple trips?"

Kim could hear Shego laugh in response. "Don't worry Princess, this bird can carry three times that many since Ed got his hands on it. The man's a moron and a pig, but give him a toy like this to play with and he'll work miracles."

"I'm still surprised you don't have flaming racing stripes all over this thing."

"Ed tried, he learned quickly that you don't mess with my ride. Anyways Princess, we're coming up on the first group, looks like two people."

"Thanks Shego." Kim killed the feed on the intercom, doing one last check in preparation.

Ron was checking the automatic pulley over to make sure the cord wouldn't tangle. "You and Shego seem to be getting along better."

"I don't like her, but I respect her. I also understand her a bit better." Kim hit the button for the side entranceway, and the rush of wind quickly filled the rear cabin. "Ready Ron?"

"Ready KP."

Kim spied her targets down below and letting out a slow breath, Kim leapt from the plane. For a moment, she was in freefall, but the tension of the cord soon slowed her rapid fall. One foot from the rooftop, she almost stopped altogether, gracefully allowing her to land on the rooftop. There were indeed two people on the roof, an man and a woman. They were huddled together but stared in shock as she landed right in front of them.

Kim smiled reassuringly at them. "Hi folks, I'm Kim Possible. We're here to rescue you."

The woman gasped as she heard Kim's name. "Kim Possible, no puerdo creerlo!"

Kim smiled, catching a bit of what she said. "Hang on to me me, we're going to get you out of here."

The two didn't understand her, but they could see what she wanted them to do. They quickly wrapped their arms around her, and Kim gave the signal to pull them all up. Ron was waiting for them when they got back up to the plane, and he took the two of them to the back where the food and blankets were. Shego was already heading for the next roof. Eight more times, and ten more people rescued, and Kim began to think that everything would turn out just fine. Of course, that was the moment that everything went wrong.

Kim was already moving into position to grab the last person they had found, a little girl no more than nine or ten. She was huddled on the roof crying and Kim was only a few feet away, her arms outstretched. Without warning, there was a surge in the flood waters. Kim was shocked as she felt the rush of water sweeping at her legs, pulling her, but that was nothing compared to the sight of that little girl being pulled off the roof and into the raging waters.

Kim looked up with determination at Ron, even as she worked the clasp on her harness. "Ron, tell Shego to keep up with me, I'm going after her."

"No KP, wait..."

But Kim had already freed herself, landed deftly on the roof, then dove over the side to where she had last seen the little girl. Ron was at the intercom in an instant, yelling over all the sounds. "Shego, Kim just dove in after someone. We need to follow her and stay close." Ron didn't wait for an answer, he just returned to the doorway to look for Kim. He knew they had tracking beacons that Shego could find. Now all Ron could do was wait.

Kim though was fighting her way through the water, her eyes hurting as she fought to keep them open in the rushing waters. But she had to be able to see the little girl if she was going to rescue her. She knew where she had gone in, knew how far ahead she should be, but Kim still had to work hard to try and find her before it was too late.

It seemed like hours, but it had only been thirty seconds before Kim spotted the girl ahead of her under the water. She was still thrashing against the current, but Kim could tell that she was weakening. With a lunge, Kim reached out and snagged her wrist. For a moment the girl fought her, but Kim pulled her close and began kicking for the surface.

Kim's head broke above the water for a moment, pulling the girl up with her. She took a deep breath of air, feeling the sweet oxygen filling her lungs. The girl beside her was gasping as well, even as the current was dragging them along. Kim lifted her gaze upward, trying to find what she was hoping for and for a moment she was afraid that Ron and Shego had lost her. A sudden noise behind her relieved all her fears, and she turned as best she could to see the loving gaze of her boyfriend and fiancee. Kim aimed her right arm up and pressed the button to fire the super suit's internal grappling hook. Her aim was true, as the hook shot through the open door over Ron's head and sank deep. With a final push of a control, Kim and the little girl were pulled from the raging waters to the safety of Shego's plane.

"KP, are you all right?" Even as Ron asked, he was wrapping the girl in a blanket as she shivered uncontrollably.

"I'm fine Ron, but how is she?"

Ron took a moment to lift her face up to his, checking her eyes and her breathing. "I think she's fine KP, but we should still get her to a hospital."

Kim grabbed a blanket as she shut the door, the winds dying off as it finally shut and the heat returned to a more normal level. She moved quickly to the intercom as she dried her hair. "Shego, do you have anyone else on your scanners?"

"Nothing Princess, looks like we got everyone we're going to get."

"All right, get us to the nearest hospital then. And... thanks again for the help."

Kim heard Shego snort before the intercom signal was cut off and Kim moved back to Ron, who had passed the little girl over to a couple of the other villagers, who were talking to her and calming her down. Ron sat down on the seat, and Kim sat down beside him. With the crisis over, Kim relaxed against her fiancee as his arm moved it's way around her. Kim closed her eyes, breathing easily and calmly.

"You know KP, you really scared me there."

Kim snuggled a little closer. "I know. Sorry about that."

"But..." Ron paused, considering his words, "I think, maybe... I might have been going a little too hard on the over-protective boyfriend thing."

Kim chuckled softly. "Maybe?"

"Okay, so I was going overboard." Ron was chuckling as well now. "I know you can take care of yourself, considering how long you were taking care of me. I just... I just don't want to see you get hurt again."

"I know Ron. I don't want to see you get hurt either." Kim turned her head to meet his gaze. "Ron, I want you to take care of me. At the same time, I want to take care of you. We're partners in everything and that's the way it should always be. We just have to make sure we don't go overboard on taking care of each other."

Ron smiled and gently kissed the end of Kim's nose. "I love you KP."

Kim returned the favour. "I love you too Ron."

As Shego flew the plane to the nearest hospital, both teens sat holding each other close, enjoying the comfort that brought and the confidence that everything was going to be okay so long as they had each other.

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Author's Notes – Next Chapter... the school grind is picking up, the worry about prom has started, and Ron gets the biggest shock of his life... well, maybe not the biggest, but he's gonna need a bucket of brain soap before the day is through.


End file.
